Final Salvation
by BeautifulDhampir
Summary: Continues from Spirit Bound. Rose in jail and everyone in her life wants in to see her, but she knows she is best alone. Incidents at court warn and keep Rose from the truth. Heartbreak, love, friendship, and honor will lead to her Final Salvation.
1. Pride

After the hearing they took me back to my cell. Abe's words still rang loudly in my head, _"They execute traitors"._ As far as the faces in the crowd were concerned I was far more than a traitor, I was a murderer.

I sat on the stiff bed and began to think about the note Tatiana had written me. Was Ambrose right? Did I completely misjudge her?

No. There was no way after all the hell she put me through that Tatiana could be as good of a person as I wished she could be. She voted for the age decree and purposely kept Lissa from her rightful place on the Moroi council. But then why would she know to write me this note?

_A secret you must share with as few as possible._

I didn't even know who I trusted in this moment. I trusted Lissa, but I couldn't bear to tell her yet that her father was an adulterer and that she had a half sibling as proof. The memory of her parents being a loving couple was still fresh in my mind and if I was having a hard time accepting the truth, it would devastate her. I won't tell her until I know it is irrevocably true.

I could hear footsteps coming towards my cell and looked up to see a familiar male guardian bringing a tray of food.

"Don't waste your time. I'm not hungry. Take it back."

He looked at me questionably then shrugged his shoulders before turning around, actually listening for once.

My stomach was in knots and I couldn't even think of eating at a time like this. Besides it probably would come up just as fast as it would go down.

I rested my head back against the cold block wall and began to contemplate the mess I was in now. A restless and dreamless night soon followed against my will.

The next day Abe came in to discuss the upcoming trial. I was going purely on raw nerves and not much sleep when he sat in the chair in front of my cell.

"Hello Rose. How are you doing today?"

"How do you think I'm doing? I am on trial for a murder I didn't commit and I chose my estranged Moroi father who isn't even a lawyer as my defense!"

"I'm glad to see you're still upbeat." His sarcasm never seemed to surprise me. I was definitely his daughter.

"What am I going to do?" I barely whispered.

"Well, usually they would rush to get this sort of matter closed as soon as possible. But luckily, the Moroi council is too busy planning a Royal funeral and dealing with opposition from the age decree that they most likely rushed the hearing to ease the mind of the people. The arraignment isn't for another two weeks and the trial will be long after that, so we have some time."

Time, for once, it might actually be on my side.

"What happens at the arraignment?"

"It is where you will officially present your plea for the record and evidence that has been accumulated so far from both sides will be given to the court."

"So, another waste of time! They know I'm not guilty! I'm just their poster-girl scapegoat!"

"Rose, you need to calm down. It is a good thing that this is being dragged out. It gives me more time to track down the real people involved in this."

I knew he was right, but I was so frustrated and the darkness from the spirit was so heavy that I could barely create a reasonable thought.

"Now, I have pulled some strings and you are allowed up to two visitors a day for an hour a piece."

"I don't want visitors."

"What? Rose, you don't know what I had to do to-"

"I don't care! I do not want anyone to see me like this. I can barely hold it together with you. Anyone else might push me over the edge."

My voice sounded dangerous, almost threatening. He stiffened in his chair and was silent for a moment as he thought about what I had just said.

"Well after a few days you might change your mind. But I will come and see you everyday regardless of what you say."

"Fine. But I will not change my mind. Let me have what little pride I have left."

Pride seemed like a stupid thing to defend, but considering that quite literally everything else I had was taken from me, it was the only thing I had left.

"As you wish Rose."

He sat quiet for another minute, but then he asked, "Is there a message you would like me to give to any of them?"

"No. I just need time to think some things through."

It was the best lie I had, but his face looked like it worked. The only person I could stand to see might be Lissa, but her sympathy would just put me in even worse of a mood. Adrian was out of the question, he would just annoy me right now, Christian even more so.

Then there was Dimitri. Always Dimitri. Why did he defend me? Probably just the heat of the moment, he had made his stance very clear. _Love fades. Mine has. _It felt like my heart broke more and more as I repeated his words in my mind.

"Alright then, I have to go meet my contacts. I will be here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow" I nodded.

He left and the silence that quickly followed almost made me go insane. I decided to feel for Lissa. This must be hard on her, I have to make sure that she is okay.

Through Lissa's eyes I saw Abe coming out of the front of the Court Jail. Lissa hurried up to his side, Christian and Adrian quickly behind her.

"Mr. Mazur, I know that you are very busy but I need to see Rose. She must be asking for me, is there any way you can get me in to see her?"

"No Princess. I have finally received authorization from the guardians for visitors, but Rose doesn't want to see anyone."

I could feel the instant sadness and anger welling up inside Lissa, so I quickly took some of this darkness from her. She shouldn't have to suffer and I already was, so taking the darkness only makes sense.

"Please Mr. Mazur, I know she's just upset right now, she really doesn't mean it! Maybe a little later-"

"I'm sorry Princess, but as long as Rose refuses to see anyone, the guardians will not let anyone in to see her."

With that Abe walked off in the opposite direction. Lissa froze and Christian instantly went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. I could feel the loving comfort through the bond and it hurt, but made me happy to know that Lissa had Christian back. At least someone could be there for her when I couldn't.

Adrian broke the silence first. "Lissa maybe we could find another way in to see her."

"I just don't understand!" she said frustrated. "She knows I don't think she did this, why won't she see me? She needs me."

"That's why she won't see you" a familiar voice appeared. Lissa turned and looked directly at the source, Dimitri.

"What?"

"Rose feels like the world is against her, she won't see anyone because she feels helpless and she won't let you see her in that state. She doesn't want to need anyone."

How dare him. He can't speak for me. He doesn't even speak to me!

Understanding washed through the bond. Lissa realized that Dimitri felt like he just went through a similar ordeal with all eyes on him locked in, ironically, the same cell I was in now. Then anger started to seep through.

"She probably won't speak to me because of you!" she spat at him. This was so unlike Lissa, more like something I would say.

Dimitri hung his head down and it seemed like he was hurt by her words. Could he be hurt? Could he care?

Instantly Lissa felt sorry for what she said. She didn't mean to yell at Dimitri in anger. "I'm sorry Dimitri, I'm just…I just don't understand is all."

"You're right. I shouldn't have treated Rose that way." Dimitri seemed reluctant when he said it, but he at least acknowledged he has been hurting me.

No one could have prepared me for what was coming next. Adrian was furious and I could see it on his usual calm and smug face. He moved quickly and stood eye to eye with Dimitri.

"You always have been hell to her! I have almost lost her because of you, more than once! For once, make a damn decision and don't play games!"

Dimitri instantly stiffened and glared back at Adrian with just as much fury. Then with his guardian mask he said calmly, "You know nothing about Rose and me."

Adrian returned with, "You're right. There is no you and Rose. You made that perfectly clear. She brought you back from hell and you put her in a living one! "

Dimitri flinched forward and stopped. Adrian held his ground and finally I heard Lissa yell, "That's enough! You two can argue about this later, right now we need to worry about Rose!"

Dimitri seemed to go soft and looked over to Lissa with a thought on his face while Adrian stood and looked over to Lissa in shock.

Then Dimitri confirmed what I thought his face had said. "I think I can find a way for you to see her."


	2. Trust

**Hi everybody! This is the first thing I have ever written and you guys are so amazing for leaving such wonderful reviews and comments. Thank You! Everyone was very adamant for me to update as soon as possible, so here is Chapter 2! I promise, for what I have planned for this book, you have read nothing yet! **** Thank you so much, your comments really mean a lot to me. -Christi**

**DISCLAIMER: The series Vampire Academy is owned and written by Richelle Mead, and all characters are her intellectual property. The storyline, which I created, is merely a fan fiction of my perception of what should happen after Spirit Bound. **

Two days later I knew I still had reasons to worry about things other than just my life. My friends were going to try and find a way around the six guardians constantly surrounding me to try and see me, against my will. I was infuriated. But this was past my usual level of anger, which for most part was pretty high. The darkness was enclosing around me and I could feel the fury in my body shaking violently. I kept focusing on the same single block in my cell trying to calm myself. There was nothing special about this specific block, but I kept focusing on it to gain focus. My breathing finally slowed and I realized that I had to do something in order to keep the darkness inside me from rising up. Lissa was not there to heal it out of me and I did not want her here. My thoughts were interrupted by footsteps approaching. Cole, the usual guardian that always brought my meal was heading my way. I still could not manage to eat. I had no desire for food, more from the fear of it coming back up, that and nothing sounded appealing. Not even pizza and brownies and that is saying something. I was happy just sitting on this bed the exact same way I have since I've been here. My back against the bars, arms resting on the knees in my chest and my head lying gently on my arms. It was the only position I could stay in comfortably for a long period of time. I could smell the food as he approached and my stomach wrenched into even tighter knots.

"Take it back."

"This is the fourth day now that you have not eaten Hathaway. How about I just set it inside and you can decide if you want it later. I know you're hungry."

He seemed like he genuinely cared if I ate or not. Problem was I didn't. What was making it worse was that my temper was increasing rapidly lately.

"Put that tray in here and you will feel it across your face, I promise." I sounded deadly. I don't know what was coming over me.

He looked at me first with worry and then his face hardened. He turned around and took the tray with him. Good idea. I couldn't help but feel sorry for threatening Cole. He was the only guardian that would speak to me occasionally, but my mood swings were going out of control.

Just when I thought my mood had improved Zmey showed up with his usual smug attitude. But when he spoke, he sounded like he had worry and concern in his voice. Not things I like to hear from my 'defense attorney'.

"We can't find a motive Rose. I mean sure, people disagreed and hated the Queen, either because of her status, power…" He started shaking his head. "But what doesn't make sense is why kill her like that? Why a stake specifically and frame you in the process? It's like I'm missing the smoking gun."

My thoughts quickly went to the letter Ambrose gave me. _A secret you must share with as few as possible._ Tatiana was specific. She was skeptical of those at Court and those around her, but why? I wondered if it all had to do with Lissa's illegitimate sibling and the possibility of her being the Queen's successor. But Lissa was well liked and respected by the Moroi. Some even viewed her as a Saint for her healing powers and compassion towards others. I still couldn't wrap my head around the whole thing. My silence alerted my father. He knew I was keeping something from him.

"What do you know Rose?"

He should have known a sarcastic response was coming. "I shouldn't have picked you over the other guy at the hearing."

"Besides that!" He seemed angry. "You're keeping something from me, something important. Rose, if it has to do with your case I need to know! I need to know every way possible that I can find to get you out of here."

I don't know if it was the passion or conviction in his words, but I decided that my father, the Zmey, deserved to be the one I confided Tatiana's letter with.

I reached over to the side of my mattress against the wall and pulled the letter out from in between the ripped seams that were barely visible. If my cell were to be searched for any reason, I didn't want the letter to fall into the wrong hands. I stood up and walked slowly over to Abe. I reached through the bars to hand him the letter and the guards instantly tensed. Abe waved them off with his hand and cautiously reached out and took the letter from me. He opened it up carefully. It was brittle after the hundreds of folding and times I had read and reread it. He read it carefully and then his eyes began to grow wide. When he was finished reading the letter he looked up to me as I set back in my position on the bed.

"Do you know what this means?"  
"Besides the fact that I'm innocent and Lissa will have a quorum making her eligible for her seat on the Council, I have no idea."

"It is proof that you are innocent! That Tatiana believed and entrusted this information to you above all others!"

"A lot of good it did me. Look where I'm at."

"I have to go and talk to Lissa, maybe---"

"You will do no such thing!" My anger flared as I jumped up causing Abe to lean back in surprise.

"You will not tell her a word of this until I know it is the truth. Do you understand me?" The look I must have given him made him close his mouth and nod in submission. A feat I did not Abe Mazur was capable of, but he knew I would protect Lissa over myself, even in the situation I was in now.

"I simply thought it would be easier to find financial documents from Eric Dragomir supporting this child if Lissa could tell me where her family stored them. I will get the information by other means, but you should really tell her, it is bound to come out sooner or later. It might even be your best defense."

"If any of this gets to Lissa before I speak to her, I will know it was you."

He looked at me annoyingly. "You are still guarding her behind bars? Rose you need to learn to guard yourself too."

"She comes first."

"Then speak to her."

Damn him. He had to hit me where it hurt. I sank my head thinking of my options. If Dimitri knew a way to get in here, it could still put her in jeopardy. Plus, it might put him in my presence and that would not be good for anyone and I might need an escape route if things go ugly. I knew I had to see her eventually.

"Only Lissa. I will allow her to come and see me, but the others are to stay far away from this cell."

"Fine. I will let her know." He began to rise and turn to leave when he turned around and looked at me. He looked me up and down and his excitement began to fade and worry tensed his face.

"Rose, you need to start eating. You are beginning to look skinny and weak. Your eyes are beginning to sink in." He paused knowing he was getting nowhere. "This is just not like you."

"Thanks for the highlight Abe."

With that he just shook his head and left only looking back to give me what I was sure was his best reassuring smile.

I sat back on the bed preparing myself for what I would say to Lissa. It wasn't that I didn't want my best friend by my side. I didn't want her dragged into this situation. It could cause irreparable damage to her future. What's worse is that I can't lie to Lissa about her father. I had lied to her in the past about my relationship with Dimitri, among other things, but when I returned from Siberia I gave her my word to tell her everything from then on. How would I cover the lie that would affect her the most? Affect the memories of her family? My head was starting to hurt from contemplating Lissa's visit.

I rested my head back against the wall and began to search for Lissa through the bond. I could feel that she was happy, excited, nervous, so many things at once. Christian was standing in front of her, thankfully with clothes on. I had plenty of bad images in my head. But him without clothes on would just give me nightmares.

"I just got a phone call from Abe Mazur. He said Rose asked to see me. I knew she would!"

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Christian who in turn wrapped his arms around his waist. I could feel Lissa's love for him through the bond and it hurt me to know I would never have that again. They stood there quietly for a few moments when Christian broke the silence.

"What are you going to say to her?"

Lissa leaned back and looked into his worried face. Was Christian really that worried about me? I loved him like a brother and in that moment when I saw his face I knew he loved me just as much as his sister. He would never admit it and I probably wouldn't either, but at least I felt like I had another friend who cared if I lived or died. Not like the man I love most in this world would care. I cringed from just thinking of the words he said that cut me deeply.

"I will tell her the truth. That I love her and there are others that love her and we will never let anything happen to her. Moroi Council or not, no one will hurt Rose. That we will get through this just like everything else we have been through."

Christian slowly nodded his head in agreement and then turned his head like he just remembered something.

"You better call Dimitri and tell him the plan is off then, now that Rose is letting you in."

"I almost forgot." Lissa picked up her cell phone and started dialing the phone number from memory. Great. I'm stuck in jail while my best friend is memory calling the ex love of my life. I didn't mean to feel jealousy towards Lissa, but quickly that jealousy turned to rage at Dimitri. Is it not enough that he took my every emotion from me and turned it against me, but now he was taking my best friend away from me too? The darkness caused me to shake but I pushed it back diving deeper into the bond.

He answered quickly. "Lissa are you okay?"

"I'm fine Dimitri, actually great. The plan is off. Rose asked to see me." There was silence. After several seconds had passed, Lissa wondered if he was even still on the line.

"Dimitri?"

"Sorry Lissa, I'm here. Who is going with you?"

"I am going alone. Abe said that she only wants to see me. No one else is allowed." Lissa felt guilty for saying the last part, but figured honesty would be better considering everything going on.

"I understand." It was quiet again and then shock came through the bond when he asked, "Could you please tell her something for me?"

Lissa felt tense. "Yes Dimitri." Lissa didn't like being stuck between Dimitri and me, but she thought this was a good sign that Dimitri might want to have some sort of relationship with me.

"Tell her if she wants to talk to me," he paused. "I will come when she's ready."

Lissa suddenly felt protective. She was thinking back to the last few weeks and how the conversations between Dimitri and I didn't go so well. I cringed at the thought of the words that cut me deep to my soul. _Love fades. Mine has._ What was worst was the look on his face when he said it, his brown eyes hard and the guardian mask plainly showing no emotion.

"Dimitri, I don't know if---"

"Please, Lissa?"

"Alright, I'll tell her."

"Thank you. You probably should go. I'm sure she's waiting."

"Okay, bye Dimitri."

I pulled myself back into my head at that moment. Who the hell did he think he was? I brought him back from the dead and he wouldn't speak to me. But I get thrown in jail and I should let him walk in here to talk? I don't think so. I felt a tug at the walls I was rapidly building around my heart. They don't need me. I am nothing but trouble for all of them. I knew I loved Dimitri with every part of my soul but he made his point very clear. I needed to move on. I was trying to move on with Adrian before this whole mess happened. But now I am nothing but damage to Adrian, I guess I really have been since the beginning. A damaged heart, a damaged reputation, damaged emotions, and worst of all, a damaged soul, all things he didn't need. I knew I had to end things with Adrian, but I still hadn't figured out how. He deserved something caring, I owed him that much. But I need to make sure he knew he couldn't hang on to me anymore. I wasn't good for anyone. I was falling into a deep depression that I could not grasp and the darkness was only making it worse. I began to tremble at my own thoughts but had no energy to cry. I began to stare at the same stone as before and tried to calm my breathing.

I don't know how long I had been sitting in that position trying to breathe but I suddenly could hear footsteps approaching. Lissa was here.

I looked up slowly to see her and her face fell and seemed pained.

"Rose! Are they feeding you? You look so small and your eyes…" she trailed off while drinking in my appearance. Only Lissa would worry about something so trivial when my life or death was in the balance.

"I'm fine Lissa. I'm not hungry." Those were the only words I could manage after a few moments of silence. Did I really look that bad? I have only been in here for six days.

"Why wouldn't you let me in to see you?" she demanded to know. I could feel her anger through the bond and it only stirred the darkness inside of me. I couldn't help it but I took some of the darkness away from Lissa, she looked overloaded almost. When I took it from her I began to feel the feeling of depression and anger but quickly looked to my stone block and began to slow my breathing.

"Well?"

I thought about how to word what I had to say carefully. Lissa was already hurting without me. "Lissa, you are my best friend and I love you. But you shouldn't be seen coming in here to see me. Your reputation will suffer and you may not get your seat on the Council if you are friends with a murderer."

"I know you are innocent Rose! We all know! And if this is about my reputation then forget it, I don't care. You are my best friend and you need me!" As she looked at me sitting on the bed I could feel through the bond the one emotion I did not want her to feel for me the most, sympathy.

"Lissa, this is beyond us. There is nothing we can do. They set me up and they are going to make sure I take the fall-."

She cut me off nearly screaming. "Rose, I will not let them do this to you! We will get to the bottom of this and find out the truth." She stood up fast as she was speaking and gripped the bars in the middle of the cell staring at me intently. "I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Lissa." I thought of how to tell her I was no longer good for her, that in being friends with her I was essentially hurting her future.

She was very quiet in thought and I never expected her to say what she did. "Then trust me Rose. Trust me like I have entrusted my life to you. Let me save you for once instead of you saving everyone. Just trust me."

There was pleading and sincerity in Lissa's voice and just to make her happy I had to resign my argument. "I do trust you Lissa. More than you think."

Her determined face softened into her angelic smile and I couldn't help but muster up a small smile to return to her.

We talked about what was going on outside of this cell. She and Christian were definitely back together and she said it felt almost like they had never been apart. They realized how much they needed each other and were content in anything they did as long as they were together. My heart ached because there had been a time when I had wished for such a happy reunion between Dimitri and I. But my life isn't a fairytale and the real Dimitri didn't come back to me. He would have loved me just as he did as a Strigoi. I instantly felt the shot of depression begin to flare up and then Lissa's words brought me back down to my reality. A hell someone created personally just for me.

"I know I shouldn't bring it up, but I told Dimitri I would give you a message."

"Tell him I don't want to see him." Then I thought of something that might make more sense to his new thinking process. "Tell him I've faded and the Rose he knew is gone."

I felt the sympathy again through the bond and Lissa just nodded her head in acknowledgement. Then I felt the curiosity rise up in her, but she decided not to ask me what I meant. We then began to talk about the upcoming arraignment in five days, which only made me even more depressed. How do they really think that I will be able to come back from this? The guards stiffened as Lissa reached through the bars to hug me goodbye, but they knew Lissa was going to be my charge. She was my reason for being the guardian I was.

As she turned to walk away she asked one more question that I wished she hadn't. "Do you want me to tell Adrian anything? I'm sure he'd like to hear from you."

I contemplated what to say. Adrian needed to let go no matter the consequences. I really did love him, but it would never compare to the love I lost and Adrian deserved better than being my substitute for what I could never have again. I wished there was a way that he could stay in my life, but it might be too painful for him and I needed to do the right thing. I might not get another chance to get a message to Adrian.

"Tell him…" I paused. What would make him leave and understand? Especially after the night we shared, which felt like forever ago even though it was only a week.

"Tell him I'm sorry and to be happy without me. Tell him to move on and a piece of him will always love him, but not enough to keep him."

Lissa nodded and I saw the tears well up in her eyes as she turned back towards the hall to leave. I hated putting Lissa in this position, but it was hard enough seeing her and I know I can't handle having Adrian stand in front of me and hear those words. If everyone was smart they would just leave me alone and forget me. I just can't figure a way out of this, but one thing is for sure. I am not going down without a fight.


	3. Pain

**Hi guys! Did I tell you that I love the reviews and they keep me going? Well they do! This chapter is sad but is necessary for what is coming next! Don't forget to review! XOX Christa**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, Richelle Mead does, but I am simply writing my own storyline based on what I think should happen after Spirit Bound. **

The next day I grew unusually comfortable in my cell as usual. I figured it must be what happens to wild animals once they are caged up in captivity. You could almost see the fight that used to be in their eyes, but they had no desire to ever have it again. I would not end up like that.

I visited Lissa's mind last night because of her overwhelming emotions as she left, but unfortunately I saw what I didn't want to see, as usual. Christian, Adrian and Dimitri were waiting anxiously for her to return from her visit with me.

When she walked through the door and saw the three men she looked over to Christian questioningly.

"What? They both called and wanted to know what happened to Rose. So, I figured they could just hang here until you got back."

Lissa looked over to Adrian and Dimitri and instantly felt the lump rise in her throat because of what I told her to tell them. She hated being in the middle of everything, but knew I couldn't do it myself.

I could tell that Christian was getting impatient as he loudly asked, "So how's my favorite smartass?"

Lissa sounded strained. "She's… she's not herself" she said setting down her coat and turning to face them.

"How so?" Adrian asked worried. His eyes gleamed red like he hadn't slept in days and I was sure he had been drinking.

"She looks so small and weak. The guards told me she hasn't eaten since she's been there."

"She's been in there for six days!" Adrian almost shouted back at her. I could see the worry and despair cross his face and it hurt me to see him like that.

Lissa continued. "I know. She just seems so weak and depressed, almost like she has no hope."

I could see her glance over to Dimitri. He was sitting in a chair at the table and had leaned down to put his head in his hands. Was he upset? Not like what he did to me was much better than this jail cell. But just seeing him look almost helpless made my heart ache a little more.

It was quiet for a moment and then Adrian burst like he couldn't contain himself. "Why won't she let me see her?"

Lissa thought about how to be diplomatic but still be Adrian's friend too. "She just doesn't want anyone to see her like that and she doesn't want us to get involved and damage our lives here at Court because of our involvement with her."

Adrian was quick to rise from his chair, "But that is bullshit! She knows I don't care!" He looked down suddenly realizing he was talking to Lissa and not me, embarrassed for his outburst. Then he asked, "Did she say anything to you about me?"

Lissa paused. Christian felt her unease and was at her side in a moment with his arms around her. She looked up to his face and was thankful to have him by her side through everything. She then looked down at the floor as she began to speak to Adrian.

"She asked me to give you a message." Adrian looked at her intently and Dimitri sat up from the chair to look at Lissa.

"Adrian, she told me to tell you she's sorry but to move on." He started to interject but Lissa held up her hand continuing the message. "She said to be happy and move on. That a part of her will always love you, but not enough to keep you."

Adrian's eyes began to glaze as he nodded his head toward Lissa. Then he heartbreakingly began to plead with Lissa. "She's just upset at everything. She just needs some time to pull herself together. That's all."

Lissa thought about letting him be content with his own conclusions, but thought it would be best for all involved if she made my point clear. She hated being the one to tell Adrian what I said, but knew it was for the best.

"She doesn't want to be with you Adrian. She loves you but she can't be with you. I'm so sorry."

He looked defeated. His eyes were red with tears and a choke rose up in his voice when he turned to Dimitri.

"This is your fault. She would have loved me if she hadn't fought to bring you back." Dimitri lowered his head in thought and with that Adrian left slamming the door. Lissa wanted to go after Adrian to comfort him, but Christian kept a tight grip around her waist shaking his head. I instantly felt horrible for putting Adrian through everything I had. He had been so good to me, but he would never be Dimitri, even though I didn't have Dimitri. He deserved something special with a woman who could love him with all she had. I can't do that. I am too damaged for anyone anymore. It was quiet in the room until Lissa set her sights on Dimitri. He looked up at her just as questioningly, waiting for Lissa to speak.

"Did you give her my message?" he finally managed to ask.

"She doesn't want to see you either Dimitri. I just don't think she can deal with everything right now."

He began to nod his head in defeat as Lissa broke Christian's grip and walked directly in front of Dimitri. She was hesitant to tell him the message that she didn't know the meaning of.

"She told me to tell you that she has faded and she is not the Rose you knew anymore." She paused. "Do you know what it means?"

His eyes showed realization and what almost looked like pain. No. Dimitri made his point perfectly clear. He doesn't care about me anymore. This should be a relief to him. He looked hesitant to say anything to Lissa about the meaning, but he was now her confidant, so of course he told her.

"I told Rose to move on and that love fades as mine has." He sounded distraught and leaned over to put his head in his hands again.

"I've made so many mistakes with her Lissa. All I keep doing is hurting her."

Lissa was feeling sympathy, anger and pity all at the same time. But it was more for me than it was for him. "Why would you say something like that Dimitri! You know how fragile she can be!" She paused as he raised his head to look at her. Were those tears in his eyes? Lissa quieted her tone. "Did you mean it?"

He looked outside the window and was quiet. This angered both Lissa and me at the same time. "Did you mean it?"

Dimitri stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. He looked back and looked to Lissa and said, "I have never told such a painful lie in all my life." With that he walked out shutting the door behind him.

I immediately pulled myself back to my cell utterly confused and with more heartache than I think I could stand. He was giving me hope and I could not afford it. Hoping for a life with Dimitri has caused me nothing but pain and has ultimately landed me to where I am now. He was probably just making Lissa feel better so she wouldn't be mad at him. After all, he acted like she was his whole life now.

I tried to sleep, but of course sleep would not come when I needed it so badly. I kept having flashbacks of memories in my head and it caused me to break down into sobs. I tried not to cry loudly, I didn't want the guards to hear me. But I soon heard a knock on the bars. I rolled over and saw Cole standing in the middle of the bars looking at me intently, and holding food.

"Cole, I am not in the mood. I'm not hungry, take it back please" I finally choked out with my husky voice.

He sighed and then started to speak authoritatively. "Rose, you are going to eat. I know it must seem like the world is falling down on you, but you need to stay strong and be the guardian that you are and face it."

I didn't know what to say. Cole sometimes spoke on occasion, but never this outwardly about my well being. He sat down at the edge of my cell with the tray in his lap, making it perfectly clear he wasn't going anywhere. I decided to sit up and look at him. I kind of was hungry now and the possibility of talking to someone I didn't know, who believed in my innocence, suddenly lifted my mood. I walked over to where he was sitting and sat opposite of him and looked at him through the bars. I had never noticed before, but Cole was extremely good looking. He had to be twenty four or twenty five, with sandy brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. He was extremely tall so sitting down Indian style made him look awkward in his black and white uniform. His muscles were very well defined through his suit though, as they should be as a guardian. I sat very quietly for a minute and then looked up at him to give my best attempt at a half-hearted smile.

"You're right. I really just haven't been hungry lately, but I am sorry about being so mean to you before."

He let out a laugh, which made me smile. He said "Rose, if you only knew the things I've been through, you're threat was nothing." I returned his smile. But I couldn't help but think that my threat should mean something.

"So what did you bring me?" He looked down to the tray and muttered, "Not much, but it's edible."

I smiled just thankful that one of my former peers thought I was innocent and cared even at all. He handed me a sandwich through the bars and a bag of pretzels. I started to eat wondering what I should say to him.

"Don't take this the wrong way Cole, but why are you being so nice to me?"

He showed his brilliant smile and simply said, "Because I know you're innocent and you're mother would kill me."

I knew my mother would jump into the equation sooner or later, but she couldn't leave her charge. Still, I didn't know how Cole and my mother knew each other.

"Sounds like my mom. How do you know her?" He started off into this story about how he used to serve with my mom but transferred to Court because he was homesick. He said he felt she had trained him more than the academy he went to did and he was very used to the Hathaway personality. I laughed at that sentiment. I don't think anyone could ever really get used to the Hathaway personality. After awhile I wondered if he would get in trouble, but he shrugged it off saying "Not really. No one ever comes down here to check on the guardians." I laughed but made a mental note at the same time. It might be useful information if my trial goes bad.

"Well Hathaway, I have to get going. My shift ended five minutes ago, but I'll bring you lunch tomorrow."

I looked up to see a new set of guardians and understood. I said goodnight and curled up on the mattress lying on my side. Thankfully a dreamless night followed. I hoped Adrian wouldn't hate me from now on, but if he did I couldn't blame him.

The morning was eventful. Zmey came in and said he had quite a few leads he was tracking down and that he might have to leave after the arraignment in a few days but would come back soon. He also pulled some major strings. I had an ipod with earplugs and prisoner exercise privileges that would start tomorrow. Thank God. I knew the prisoners had a closed off small gym inside of the jail, but I didn't think they would let me out of my cell for anything other than to shower. When he left is when the bad news showed up, which I suppose had to come at some time or another.

"Mail Hathaway" was all the guard said as he set down an overflowing box of opened letters in front of my cell. I knew people could send messages in jail, but had hoped I wasn't allowed any. I rummaged through the box knowing that whatever I read the guards have already read too. Most of the letters were very hateful proclaiming my guilt and that I would pay. After reading a few hate letters, I decided that I already knew what most of them were going to say so I retreated back to my bed. Ten minutes later the silent pair of women guardians came to take me to the shower room.

I was walking to the shower room under the guard of Sam and Deidra, I think was their names. I only was allowed soap, shampoo and conditioner, but I got to get away from my cell for a little while, which improved my mood greatly. I at least had a shower curtain for some privacy but I honestly had no care for modesty anymore, especially after they took everything else from me. I was only allowed fifteen minutes daily for my shower routine, but I used every minute I had to feel the warm water beat down on my back, drip through my hair and fall over my face. It was only in these fifteen minutes did I feel the most at peace and also the only time some clarity ever surfaced. I was standing in the shower with my head against the tile and that's when the room suddenly went dark. My eyes could not adjust to the darkness and I couldn't hear anything other than the water hitting my body and the tile floor. I tensed and quickly turned my head from left to right. "Hello?" Silence. I turned the water off hoping to hear something and that is when I heard several footsteps rapidly approaching. The shower curtain was wrapped around me faster than I could react and that's when I felt the pounding start. I was dragged to the ground being suffocated from the plastic of the shower curtain and being hit and kicked repeatedly. There must have been ten of them from all the angles they were coming from. My sides instantly hurt and my head felt dizzy from hitting the ground so hard. I couldn't see anything and was fighting the air for some sense of control, but I was being restrained by the shower curtain wrapped tightly around me and I could barely fight back against the bodies holding my arms and legs down. I heard labored breathing and grunts with each hit, but not another sound the entire time. Suddenly, my left leg shot a stabbing pain upwards from my knee to my thigh like someone had stomped down on it. Next was my right leg, then the pain from my sides kept radiating with each blow. My face was then being aimed at and I could feel the crunch as a foot broke my nose. I tasted the blood in my mouth and the swelling immediately. The kicks to my ribs were causing my breathing to become almost non-existent. Each breath felt like fire and it gurgled when I inhaled. With one final blow to my face I remember falling into the darkness. My last thought was hoping that I wouldn't wake up.


	4. Thought

I heard a beeping sound before I felt the pain all over my body. I couldn't open my eyes but feeling the pain and starting to remember the last moments before I passed out, I didn't know if I wanted to. The heart monitor began to increase rapidly and I could hear voices but I couldn't distinguish any of them right now. Thinking through this pain was nearly impossible.

That's when I heard Cole whisper to me in a soothing voice, "Rose, you are in the clinic. You have sustained several injuries but they are transporting you back to your cell soon. Hang in there." I then heard him leave and shut the door quietly.

Great. I was lying in the worst physical pain of my life, but they couldn't wait to get the horrible murderer back to her cell. Figures.

I tried to speak but I couldn't feel my voice, only the edges of my cracked lips as I tried to move my mouth. That's when I heard the shouting coming from outside.

"I am her attorney and it was your job to guard her throughout these proceedings! You will let me in to see my daughter! I don't give a damn about protocols!" Abe. His voice sounded unreasonably scary in terms of his usual level of scariness.

I heard the door open and I tried through the pain to open my eyes. It stung at first but I kept trying to blink my eyelids and focus the shadows in front of me.

"Rose. Rose, it's okay. It's me." Abe was whispering quietly to me as I felt him firmly grip my hand. Did I look that bad to have him be so gentle? My vision was finally beginning to focus although my right eye I could tell was badly swollen, I could barely see out of it.

"Hey Zmey", I finally could muster up, but my voice sounded hoarse and cracked. If I could see straight it almost seemed like my father had tears in his eyes.

"Rose. I can't believe this has happened. The guardians were knocked out and don't remember seeing a thing. Do you remember anything? A voice? Do you know anyone that could have done this to you?"

He was pleading for me to remember something, but I had nothing. I remember the darkness and the pain, but not much of anything else.

I carefully shook my head. He said "It's okay. We will find out who did this to you. I promise they won't wake up when I do find them." He paused and contemplated what to say next. "Everyone is so worried about you."

"Not everyone" I said as I glanced out of the clinic window to see the guardians near the door. They held their stances like I was ready to spring, but I don't think I will be springing anytime soon.

"I don't care what anyone thinks Rose. You are my daughter and this is inexcusable. Prisoner or not, the guardians who should have been protecting you will answer for this."

Remembering back to the state my life was in, the list of possible suspects who could have done this began to grow rapidly. Obviously, being locked in a prison cell for over a week was too long to the person who wanted me dead so badly.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days. They didn't know if you were going to make it through the first night or not, but I told them they didn't know my daughter."

Two days! That meant the arraignment was tomorrow. I was almost wishing Lissa was here to heal the pain, but I can't bear to have any of them see me like this. But I suppose they will if I was to be dragged into court tomorrow.

"I have fought and killed Strigoi but I never saw this coming. Some guardian I am."

Abe, for once, was silent. He just sat in the chair next to my bed and rubbed my hand. If we had more of a loving relationship this is exactly what I would have wanted from my father, but at this moment it felt weird to have someone feel so much pity for me, especially a man who put people in pain for a living.

"How bad is the damage?"

"You have four broken ribs, a broken leg, a broken nose, and…" He stopped seeing that my eyes were growing wide. "Let's just say that at this moment you do not look as beautiful as always."

It felt like a compliment and a slap at the same time. But judging from the way I felt, I knew he was right.

I started to sit up but could feel the pain screaming at me as I tried.

"Don't sit up. You have to heal."

I contemplated what he said for a minute. "Abe, the last thing they are worried about is getting me healed up, especially when they are trying to kill me. Just let them take me back to my cell."

I sat up through the pain and looked down at my legs. I had blue and purple bruises up and down both legs, and the leg that was stomped on was wrapped up with some thick white wrapping. I initially gasped at the sight, but didn't let him know it bothered me more than that.

I stretched my arms out so that I can see what they looked like and they were just as bad. Cuts and bruises all over. How many of them were there? I don't remember each bruise, but then again, it happened all at once.

"Abe, can you please hand me a mirror? I want to see my face."

He hesitated, but I turned and gave him the most determined look I could manage. He sighed and walked over to the end of the bed where there was a small table and picked up an oval shaped mirror with a silver colored handle.

"You should really stay here and rest Rose." I tried to roll my eyes, but the pain reminded me to behave. I reached out for the mirror and when I turned it to look at my reflection I gasped.

My right eye was nearly swollen shut. My eyes were black, my nose was obviously broken and my lips were busted, not to mention the purple splotches and scratches spread across my cheeks. I had to admit, I looked like hell.

I handed him back the mirror without a word and he quickly took it and returned it to the table.

"So how am I getting back to my cell? Do I have to walk myself there?"

"Always so stubborn, you really do get that from your mother." I frowned. If I got stubbornness from anyone I think it was equally from my mother and Abe. "Are you sure you want to go back to your cell?" he said with one last attempt to keep me where I was.

"Will it change anything if I stay here?"

He thought about it for a moment but then surrendered shaking his head. "I will tell the guards your wishes but you will need a wheelchair. You can't walk with that broken leg."

How humiliating. I needed wheels to escort myself around now. The rolling badass Hathaway.

"Fine" was all I could manage to say deciding that as long as I got the hell out of this hospital bed and back to my cell, I didn't care the means of how.

"You know" he started hesitantly. "If we let Lissa come in and see you, she could heal you and –"

"No. It's out of the question" I answered firmly. No one besides him was to see me before the arraignment, not like this.

"She could heal you Rose!" he almost shouted back at me. "She can take away your pain and she has been begging to see you! This whole thing has been kept quiet and the only thing I could tell her was that there was an incident."

"Since when do you care about Lissa?"

"I don't other than the fact that she is your friend and can make the pain go away."

"Then drop it."

He dropped his head before he got up to have the guard fetch the wheelchair. I saw Cole was among them as he nodded and went to get the wheelchair.

When he came back he asked something I didn't expect.

"What do you want me to tell your friends? They have been hounding me to see you and somehow they have gotten a hold of my cell phone number."

Great, just another bonus to go along with everything else that has happened. Then wonder and hope started to stir inside my head. Could he have really asked to see me?

"Who has been asking to see me?"

"Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie, Mikhail, your mother… and Dimitri." He added the last name hesitantly.

Dimitri wouldn't ask for me. _Mine has faded._ He was just trying to sucker me into thinking Dimitri would ask for me to get Lissa in here. But what should I say to them? I knew I owed them something, but I could care less what Dimitri knew. He made his decision and I needed to stand by mine.

"Just tell them I'll see them tomorrow." The thought of being in pain until tomorrow was almost tempting to get Lissa in here to heal me. But that would mean putting more attention on her and I was not out there to protect her and she is already worried enough. I couldn't make it worse for her than it already is. Besides, I'm sure the same Moroi who did this to me were the same Moroi who landed me in jail in the first place. Tomorrow everyone will see what they do to someone when they want you silenced.

We arrived back to my cell without incident, but I couldn't walk. Just putting any pressure on my leg sent a shooting pain from my knee up to my hip, like a knife was cutting through my body. Cole quickly leaned down and picked me up and set me on the bed. I offered him a small smile, but honestly, I was ashamed that I couldn't do simple things by myself.

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself Rose. If you can survive that, you can survive anything." Cole tried to make me feel better, but it didn't quite work.

I sighed. "Do you have any idea who could have done this?"

He began to ponder and then started to shake his head. "Sam and Deidra are awesome guardians Rose, but all they could remember was that you were in the shower and they were standing by the entrance and then the lights went out. They moved but then were knocked out from behind immediately." He paused. "Somebody planned this."

Somebody did plan this, probably the same somebody who killed Tatiana. I need to find out who it is and fast. But then the thought dawned on me. Whoever was planning these things had to be here at Court. They had to know how things worked, who guarded the Queen, who and how many guardians were around me and when. This is all an inside job.

When Cole went back to his duties I started to get insanely bored. That's the idea of jail I guess. I then noticed the box of letters was still at the foot of my mattress, so I scooted over and started to go through them again. That's when I saw it, a letter in an ivory envelope that was unopened. All the letters that came in were opened, so when did this one get here? I carefully opened it and noticed the embossed gold interior, an awfully fancy letter for hate mail. I pulled out a thick piece of paper, similar to that of old parchment and unfolded it carefully and saw eloquent handwriting in black ink. It had a simple message that shook my core.

_You won't go on living for long. No matter how much you fight, you can't protect her. _

That son of a bitch! How did this letter get in here? I have to get to Lissa and protect her. They obviously know that by killing me they are getting to her, but what the hell are they planning? Why are they planning this? I started screaming at the top of my lungs in fury. The guards all tensed up, I guess I startled them. Not time for a straight jacket yet guys. Then realization hit me and I knew what I had to do. I. Am. Going. To. Get. Out. Of. Here.

I laid down on my bed to calm down. I don't really believe in God, how could I after all the hell he has sent my way and sent to innocent people. But I looked up in my cell talking as if he was there just so we had an understanding. "I know you are all about forgiveness." I paused. Should I really piss of a theoretical God? I could use somebody on my side. But then I thought better of it. "So when I send whoever this is to you show them mercy. Because they will face me before they come to you and I'm bringing hell with me." I looked over at the wall and began to contemplate what I was going to do. The only thing I know I am going to do and that will work is if I am going to go down it's going to be one hell of a fight, for everyone involved. That's what I live for, it is my purpose. I live for the fight. Whoever this is better hope they can keep up.

I started to begin to nod out. I was so tired and still pretty weak, but I was trying to stay awake to contemplate this more. But sleep finally came over me.

_The next day……._

"Rose?"

I grumbled "Go away". Who the hell is trying to wake me up? I recognized the voice. Cole.

"Rose, get up! It's almost time for your arraignment."

"Fine, but I'm not going to be nice!" I sat up slowly. I hurt worse today than I did yesterday. I was holding my side when I heard Abe walk up.

"How are you feeling?" Really? Stupid question Abe. "Just peachy."

He chuckled. Cole came over and opened the door and wheeled in the chair. Then he looked at me. "I'm going to pick you up and put you in the chair again because you are not allowed to walk on that leg."

"Whatever." That was all I could come up with considering I didn't think I could even walk to the chair.

We were outside of the court room and I could hear the voices growing loud inside. It sounded like there were a lot of people here. A lot more than were at the hearing. I looked up at Abe questioningly.

He noticed my gaze and answered my question without me having to ask it. "You're a public enemy now Rose and a lot of attention is on the upcoming trial, so naturally everyone wants to be here."

I couldn't have said it better earlier, peachy. Abe began to roll me towards the door leading into the courtroom when I grabbed his arm. He looked at me and said "It's going to be alright Rose, today is just the arraignment."

That's not what I meant when I grabbed his arm. "Abe, one of those bastards put me in this chair and I am going to walk in there on my own two feet to face them." I stood up and I admit the pain was almost unbearable. But I was determined and the adrenaline was going, so I could last.

He started to say something in rebuttal but saw the determination in my eyes and just quickly nodded his head. "I have never been so proud to say that you are my daughter. But just so you know, the wheelchair is staying right here for when we leave." Good, I could feel that I was going to need it.

He opened the door and I very slowly and painfully limped forward into the courtroom. I heard gasps and rushed whispers start going furiously when they saw me. I then felt a jolt inside my head and I looked over to Lissa. She started crying the moment she laid eyes on me. Adrian had tears running down his face too as he was shaking his head and Christian looked angrier than I have ever seen him as he tried to console Lissa. I looked back to the front and began to limp forward and did not expect what came next.

"Mr. Belikov! Return to your viewing seat immediately!" I heard as I saw Dimitri jump over the railing towards me. He stopped and looked over to the judge and then said "No. She clearly needs assistance and I will be proud to offer it to her." I gasped. Did Dimitri ever disregard authority before? He then walked up behind me and lifted my arm around his neck as he picked me up to carry me. My heart began to pound frantically. His body was so close to mine and I could smell his sweet aftershave fill my nostrils. My hand was lying on the soft skin of his neck and it hurt to feel that softness against my own skin. Then I heard the words in my head again. _Mine has faded. _I began speaking in a low whisper to him. "I can do this by myself. I don't need you to help me." He began shaking his head as he started walking us towards the defendant's table. "You do need my help. What did they do to you?" I saw his eyes nearly fill with tears. "I am so sorry Roza." Just hearing him call me Roza stabbed at my heart a little more. Why does he keep doing this to me? He obviously is only helping me because of Lissa, but he shouldn't call me that. It's personal. "Dimitri, if you want to help Lissa I suggest you go soothe her from her sobbing. Put me down."

"No. I am helping you Roza and Christian is with Lissa." He said it again.

I thought of what to say to make my point very clear. Then I whispered "Don't call me Roza. A great man who loved me once called me that. But he is dead now. To everyone else it is simply Rose." I admit I was hitting below the belt, but all is far in love and war. He said our love faded. Now it was time for war.

He sat me down in the chair at the table and then bent down to whisper very low in my ear almost brushing his lips against my earlobe. "You will always be my Roza." With that he turned and went back to his seat. I was so confused and overwhelmed all I could do was turn and look at the judge. Then Abe came walking up grinning, about what I wasn't sure. Seeing the wonder in my face he said excitedly, "This is going to be one hell of a show."

We both then turned our heads to face my accusers. I could feel the darkness inside grow from the hatred I had for them, but one thought stayed in my mind. I am going to fight.


	5. Hope

**Hi guys! Did you miss me? lol, Anyways, here is chapter 5, I hope you like it. Oh I have sooo much planned. Please review. They give me ideas and make me happy! XOX Christa**

The show had started. The courtroom was still going wild with whispers and hushed tones and the judge looked extremely irritable at the whole situation. Abe leaned over and brought a stack papers out of his briefcase. Just watching him slightly amused me. He was known to participate in a number of reckless and illegal activities, but at this moment he looked every bit of a lawyer.

"The room will come to order! Anyone who doesn't comply will be removed immediately" the judge demanded loudly. The whispers started to die down and I could feel all the eyes staring at me.

The judge then turned her focus to me. "Rosemarie Hathaway, you will stand as the charges are read against you." I heard some scoffs from the seating area but none as loud as my father bolting out of his chair.

"Your honor she can barely stand! Is it really necessary? She can hear just as well sitting as she can standing."

The judge thought about it. "Mr. Mazur I don't like your tone. However, she does need to stand for the listing of her charges, as it is protocol. I follow all protocols in my courtroom."

Of course she would follow protocol if it caused me pain. My father began to object again as I touched his arm and began to lift myself painfully from the chair. It took a minute because the pain was shooting throughout my body. Every time I took a breath the broken ribs screamed and the pressure on my leg was nearly unbearable. But I wouldn't let the pain win.

I finally stood with my arms using the table for support. I then felt an arm come underneath mind and looked to see Cole literally holding me up to stand with one arm so no pressure was on my legs. I gave him a nod of appreciation and looked forward to the judge again. She seemed surprised of his help, but continued.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, you are charged with high treason and murdering the Royal Moroi Queen. How do you plea against these charges?"

I thought being formal was the best option. "I plead not guilty to all charges."

She nodded her head and began "Your plea has been recorded to the record. You will be remanded to-.."

She was cut off by none other than my father. "Your honor…"

She looked angry. "Mr. Mazur, if you are to address this court then you will do so when the trial begins."

"Not so, your Honor. I believe if I have additional evidence to submit that I may do so at anytime during the proceedings."

She nodded and then Abe turned to me. "Show time".

I heard the doors open behind us and tried to turn as best I could to see what was going on. Men were carrying in large pictures that were on canvases. What the hell were they? Then I saw all too well what they were. They were me. They were pictures of my bruises, cuts, scars, of everything that had happened to me from the shower attack.

I looked at him enraged and curious at the same time. "Thanks for the warning Abe." He just grinned and nodded in reply. The whispers started buzzing quickly again.

The judge then looked infuriated. "Mr. Mazur, what is the meaning of this charade?"

"The prisoner was attacked while in the custody of the Court Guard and her injuries will be presented to further show her innocence."

"They are separate issues Mr. Mazur. She is on trial for her crimes not for any incidents that may have occurred while in custody."

"Untrue your Honor. They are linked issues. Obviously someone is trying to silence the prisoner and is able to reach her even in the highly esteemed Court prison. Therefore, I request that she be released into my custody, for both the Court's reputation and her safety."

The talking and shouting began in the courtroom all at once. The judge looked to the crowd and pressed her earlier demand. "Order in the courtroom!" The whispers barely began to die down before she started to speak again.

"Are you honestly asking for this Court to release the prisoner who is accused of murder of her Royal Highness Tatiana and treason?"

"Accused not convicted." He was really pushing some buttons. Who was he kidding? They were never going to let me out of their sight.

"Your request is denied Mr. Mazur." He began to continue almost cutting her off again. I was getting weak and the pain was becoming almost numbing, but I had to stay with it.

"Very well your Honor. But I request further visitation rights for the prisoner, so that those close to her can ensure her safety and treatment."

She looked shocked, but was actually quiet for a brief moment. If she was smart she would allow it, people sounded pretty upset. "Very well Mr. Mazur, I will grant your request." I didn't know exactly further visitation rights meant, but was happy to hear we won something.

Abe nodded his head grinning. He was planning something, I could tell. But what, I have absolutely no idea.

"My first request is that Princess Vasilisa Dragomir be allowed to visit with Rose right now, to heal her."

I could feel through the bond that healing me was exactly what she was planning to do. With the pain right now, I am very welcoming to the idea.

The judge started on her next tirade. "You can't make personal requests of the Royal Moroi Mr. Mazur." Before anyone knew what was going on Lissa was headed for me. "Princess Vasilisa, please take your seat. You do not need to involve yourself with this matter." The judge was trying to command Lissa but she was determined to get to me.

Lissa spoke loudly, addressing everyone rather than just the judge. "I will involve myself, as that is my sister. Not by blood, but through friendship. Consider myself very involved in anything that is done to her." I was in near shock. Lissa just practically told the judge off, who was actually silent.

Lissa was beside me, her eyes rimmed in red from her tears. Cole set me down gently in the chair as Lissa's hand moved directly to my face. I looked between them and they looked very much alike in the face, but maybe I was just in too much pain to fully notice. She started healing me and I could feel the relief from the pain instantly. It took her a little longer than expected because I had so many injuries. I lifted my shirt slightly so Lissa could heal my ribs and the court was in an uproar again. I looked into the stand and both Dimitri and Adrian were on their feet talking hurriedly to one another and a few other guardians. The judge kept repeating order in the Court, but the talking was drowning her voice out. I realized when I looked down that my entire stomach was black and blue and it did look bad.

When Lissa was finished healing me she gave me a hug and said "I love you. Just hang on, ok?" I nodded. Of course I would hang on. I was her guardian and I would be damned before anyone else guarded her. She started walking back to her seat and then I looked back to the judge.

She was fuming. What had I done to piss her off so bad? "Mr. Mazur, if you are done with your tirade, I believe we are done. The prisoner is remanded to custody."

Abe nodded and looked at me smiling. Being me, I had to bring him down a notch. "Making us friends in high places I see. You just had to piss the judge off."

He started full on smiling now. We were walking back to the exit with my guards following close behind. I looked over to the crowd and saw Dimitri looking at me with an intense gaze. I turned my head back to the exit and as soon as we got through the door I kicked the wheelchair over.

Abe looked at me questioningly. It was probably stupid, but I was still very upset that I had to travel on wheels. "What? I obviously don't need it anymore."

He grinned. "Rose, now I and others can meet with you and be in close contact with you. That was what I was hoping for. Now we can talk about things without being overheard". He looked towards the guardians to show who he meant was listening. I was just grateful I didn't hurt anymore and that my father was causing the Moroi to shake over what they had done to me.

"Thanks Abe. I appreciate everything you know." He nodded. Then he sounded scary again. "I will find who did this to you Rose, and when I do, they will wish I killed them."

I understood completely. Hopefully he found them before I did.

I was led back to my cell where I was told that my gym privileges would begin in an hour. Thank God! I needed to do something to get out all of this pent up anger and energy. I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra they allowed me to have. After all, how much damage could I do with a cotton and spandex mix? I'm sure I could think of something, but I have no desire using my clothes to do it.

The gym was the most welcomed sight to my eyes after the last week I have had. I could move and stretch every muscle freely. Eight guardians in total lined the wall to supervise of course, but it was the most at home that I have felt in a long time. There were mats lining the floors, weights against the wall, weight benches, bars, and the best sight of all… a punching bag. It was then that I was so thankful for having Abe as my father. Not only did I have access to this room but I had my iPod firmly in my grasp with my headphones. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me out to run, but I settled with what I had. The darkness was thick in my core from Lissa healing my extensive injuries and I took the darkness from her so she wouldn't have to hold it without me. A workout was just the cure to relieve some of it.

I hit play on the iPod, put in my headphones and started stretching out, it had been over a week since I worked out, and I would need it. Then I decided that weights would be first. I did three sets of twenty five curls, overheads and lunges. I worked on the benches for awhile and then I gave into my temptation. I headed for the punching bag. I didn't have gloves so it was going to hurt like hell, but I smiled walking up to it. "Hey old friend" I whispered. When I started in on the punching bag, I nearly lost all control and hit it as if my life depended on it. My life did depend on it, so I used every ounce of strength I had in me to hit my target like I have been trained to do since a child. After my first round on the bag, I glanced over to the guardians and noticed they all were tense. Hopefully, they were afraid of me, I could use that to my advantage later. I stood up for my second round and that's when the song that explained everything wrong with my emotions began. It was "You Can't Break a Broken Heart" by Kate Voegele. I began to hit the bag harder this time. Memories of what Dimitri had done filled my mind and I felt almost as if I was suffocating from the pain. I continued to hit and kick trying to keep what sanity I had left as I felt the tears begin to surface in my eyes. I couldn't let them see me cry, it was a weakness I couldn't afford. I found myself hitting and kicking harder than I ever had in my life, giving the bag everything I couldn't give to the people who have hurt me in my life. With my last roundhouse kick the bag broke and fell to the ground and me with it. I pulled my knees together and started to let the tears flow and leaned forward with my head on the mat while gripping my sides. The sobs were coming out hard and unmercifully. I had only been on the ground for a moment when I felt the light touch on my shoulder and the sweet aftershave I craved for filled my nostrils. Dimitri. Why was he here?

I took the headphones off and looked up to the face that caused most of the tears that fell.

"Roza" he said quietly as he leaned down and put his hands carefully around my waist and under my arm as he gently pulled me to his arms like I was breakable. I let him pull me close as he buried his face in my neck and soothingly rubbed my back and stroked my hair. I wilted in his arms and laid my head on his shoulder with my nose lying on the soft skin above his collarbone. My tears were being soaked up by his shirt, but he still held me and rocked gently while whispering Russian to soothe my hurt. I quieted after a few minutes and didn't know what to do next. You can never plan what to do after a meltdown, especially when the person holding you so intimately was the one who caused it. He took his hand from my hair with the other still holding my back and lifted my chin to look into his face that was now a breath from mine. The hand that lifted my chin began to draw a trail with his fingers from my temple, down my cheek and to the corner of my lips, so gently that if it were a razor on silk no harm would come to the fabric. I looked into his warm brown eyes that were looking into mine as if he could see through my being to the broken soul within me. He gently cupped my cheek and leaned down to press his warm lips to mine. It was a moment of pure bliss and need. My hand went from his chest, up his neck and around to pull myself closer to him. He wrapped his arm around my back tighter and wound his fingers from my face through my hair and around my neck. I breathed in this moment. His smell and touch that stirred my passionate desire for him in my soul and made me feel alive for the brief moments he was touching me. I can't do this, I can't allow myself hope for this right now. _Mine has faded._ I pulled my lips from his and stood up to turn my back as the tears returned but he was just as fast when he stood up and stood behind me grasping my arms tenderly. "Roza… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" I cut him off and turned to face him before he could finish.

"No, you shouldn't have. That's the problem Dimitri, you always give me a ray of hope and pull it away the moment I accept the possibility. I can't do that anymore. I can't have this hope."

His arms fell to his sides and his face showed the pain that couldn't possibly be in the eyes of someone whose love had faded. Don't allow yourself hope Rose, it will tear you apart.

He took a step forward and I immediately took a step back. He pondered quietly before he spoke. "Roza, I can't tell you how sorry I am for hurting you, but I can promise you that hope again. I can fill the rest of your life with happiness and devout love if that is what you want with me."

I have been waiting so long to hear these words, but when I did they nearly broke me inside. I have heard these same words from that beautiful mouth before. "Dimitri, please don't make me any promises. You have never kept a single one you have ever made to me."

"Roza, I love you. I will always love you, in life and death and even as a Strigoi. You consume me. Don't push me away, not now."

"You didn't hurt me as badly in life, as a Strigoi or even as you are now standing in front of me, as you did when you came back. You killed me the day you came back from death!" I was now getting louder. So many emotions were stirring in me I didn't know which one to grab hold of. "You pushed me away, you told me you didn't love me that your love faded and now you stand here in front of me proclaiming that very love forever."

He hung his head low for a moment and then I could see the tears in his eyes. I have only ever seen Dimitri cry once and that was when he returned from being a Strigoi. Now it was when he was trying to return to love we had that he willingly abandoned. "Roza, I knew from the moment I saw you that I loved you. The things I did to you when I was turned-…" I cut him off quickly.

"The things you did to me when you were a Strigoi are nothing compared to what you did to me when you came back!" I was right in front of him shouting and he flinched as a tear escaped his eye from my words. I turned my back, I couldn't bear the sight. "You broke me Dimitri."

He was so quiet. I could hear the breathing from the guardians against the wall, the AC vent starting to whirl, even his footsteps as he walked behind me again. He was nothing if not persistent.

"Roza, I will answer every question and doubt you have behind my reasons for pushing you away. But can you ever forgive me? Can you use the love we have for one another to heal the scars I have given you?"

I stood in thought. I loved Dimitri with all my heart and soul and this hope of forever was beginning to grow too tempting I began to think of my most cherished memories, my memories of him. Our stolen kisses and secrets, walking in the woods, and the time when I felt the most love in my life, the cabin. I must have been standing in thought for a long time when I heard him turn and begin to walk away. No! Of everything I have ever learned or ever known I knew Dimitri was always to be mine just like I was his. Our love survived prejudice, hate, reputation and an awakening. This is what I wanted, even if it ended in pain, it was worth it all. I turned around and saw him within feet of the door.

"Dimitri!" I yelled as loud as I could. He turned to face me with the tears falling silently from his eyes. "I forgive you. I forgive you for our past. I forgive you for our present and I will forgive you for anything that may come to us in the future as long as we face it together." I ran to him as he started towards me and I leapt into his arms that wrapped around and held me to him as he buried his face into my neck. He started swaying back and forth and began to sob into my neck. I felt a happiness having him back in my arms that I could not explain as the tears fell down my face.

"Roza… I have my Roza back…" He set me down with his arms still around me and I lifted my hands to wipe the tears from his eyes. He kissed my hands as they gently dried his eyes. "I will never let you go again Roza. Heaven and hell will not stop me from loving you."

I chuckled as we were both sniffling loudly because of our tears. "Good, because I don't think either will let me in." His brilliant full smile spread across his face and warmed my heart.


	6. Freedom

**Hi Guys! Did I mention I love reviews? I only wish I had more... (Wink, cough, HINT) Sorry it took me a few days but I hope you like it. Usually Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns the characters, however the storyline is mine... Although if Dimitri is real, I will take over ownership any day! lol, XOX Christa**

As Dimitri was holding me tightly, I heard someone clear their throat. I nearly forgot the guardians standing against the wall, who were now staring at us intently. I smiled, knowing I could care less about PDA at this moment. Then I realized something that thrilled me deep down. "Dimitri?"

"Hmm?" he muttered while still keeping his head buried in my neck as if I were going to disappear at any moment.

"Do you realize that this is the first time anyone has seen us kiss in public? That anyone has seen us together?" I felt his smile grow wide on my neck. Then he looked up to me with those warm brown eyes filled with happiness and love.

"Roza, when we are together out of there I will yell at the top of my lungs my love for you and everyone will know. We will never hide what's between us again. I felt the loss of you more than once and it won't happen again. I don't care what happens."

I couldn't help the smile that was growing on my face as he bent his head down and pressed it to mine. He brought his lips to mine again and I could not control the need for his kiss. His soft lips moving against mine so slowly was the sweetest thing I have ever experienced. His smell, his strong hands running so gently through my hair and down my face, I knew I was absolutely consumed by this man. Another throat cleared and I looked over to the wall of guardians who were still staring. I couldn't help but be a smartass at that point.

"Guys… You have me locked up with nothing but my imagination! What did you think was going to happen?" Dimitri burst into his heavy laugh as he still stood with me against him rubbing my back lovingly.

A male guardian I didn't know spoke up first. "Rose, your two hours of gym time is up. Dimitri, I'm sorry but you'll have to leave."

I tensed instantly, I didn't want him to leave my side, but Dimitri spoke first while moving to stand in front of me. "Chris, I hate to break it to you, but I'm not going anywhere. Roza has extended visitor privileges, meaning that as long as you are in view of the visitor I can be with her. Good luck with getting me to leave."

I was speechless and ecstatic at the same time. Could he really stay with me? How the hell were we both going to fit on the bed? Chris interrupted my thoughts.

"Fine Dimitri, but I have to search you again before we leave this room, a protocol as you know." Dimitri nodded and walked to Chris who searched and patted his jeans pockets and checked to make sure he didn't have any weapons. I couldn't help myself.

"Easy with the goods Chris, you break it I kill you", which caused him to blush furiously and back away from Dimitri. We headed back to my cell hand in hand with Dimitri using his thumb to draw soothing circles on the top of my hand. Dimitri was really staying the night with me in my cell. It would be the first time we have ever slept in the same bed, or in this case cot, for the entire night. I walked in and sat on the end of my mattress and he just made himself right at home. He laid down on the bed and stretched out laying his head in my lap. He was so tall that his feet hung over the edge but he didn't seem to mind. I began to stroke his hair and softly touch his face. I missed this man and it was surreal to have him here with me, I almost felt as if he was going to disappear from my sight or that I was going to wake up from a dream. The guards took their place against the wall almost shoulder to shoulder. Too bad they were there or else Dimitri would be very occupied right now.

"моя влюбленность". I looked down at him confused.

"It means my love" he translated. I smiled at him. I loved it when he spoke to me in that amazing language I couldn't understand a word of. He sat up and pulled me down to arrange me so I was facing the wall on my side and he was lying behind me on his. He pulled my thin blanket over us and then settled his face in the crook of my neck. His warm breath tickled my neck and made me feel more alive than I have felt in such a long time. A few minutes went by and then very low in my ear he started speaking lighter than a whisper. "Do not move Roza. I have to tell you something important. We are going to break you out of here tomorrow. If you understand just slightly nod your head." I nodded my head as gently as I could. Who was 'we'? Then he continued speaking.

"They will never hurt you again my Roza. I am taking you away for awhile and we will figure this out together."

I rolled over as best as I could on this pitiful cot and snuggled my face into Dimitri's neck as he rested his head gently on my head while combing his fingers through my hair. I was thrilled to be getting the hell out of here. I assumed one of the 'we' was my father, but who else would be involved in this? Dimitri? Breaking me out of jail? He must be feeling completely out of place going to those extremes. That or he really thought my life was in absolute danger to disregard his principles.

"Roza, it' okay. Calm down." I realized I was breathing heavy. He started rubbing my back again. I swear I never could get enough of him. I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist and he had one arm over my hips and the other underneath our heads supporting their weight. I began to take my hand and gently traced his spine up and down on the low of his back. He sighed and brought his hand up from my hips to my waist and I looked up to meet his beautiful brown eyes staring back at me.

He then asked, "Why can't you sleep? Are you not comfortable enough?"

The truth slipped out of my mouth before I realized how true my words were. "I'm scared this is a dream and when I wake up you won't be here."

He smiled and then leaned his head down and kissed my neck. "Roza, I will be here when you wake up. I will be the first thing you see every morning from now on as long as it makes you happy."

I reached up and kissed him passionately. His lips moved with mine gentle at first and then he increased his ferociousness and wrapped his arms around my body pushing his against mine which was now against the wall.

I pulled back breathing even heavier than before. "I always want you by my side."

"And you will always be by mine." He then kissed my lips again so gently but with so much love it almost hurt. I buried my head in his neck again and this time fell into the best night's sleep that I could ever remember.

I woke up and opened my eyes to a sleeping Dimitri. I smiled at the thought of waking up to see his face every morning. He looked so comfortable and at peace that I couldn't stand to wake him up. I looked over towards the guards and saw Cole staring back at me intently with Mikhail by his side.

I very slowly tried to get up but Dimitri's arm tightened around my waist and he sunk his face back in my hair mumbling. Mikhail and Cole started to laugh at my failed attempts to try and get up. I quickly told them they were number one with my middle finger which only caused them to laugh harder. I pulled Dimitri's arm from my waist and he quickly pulled his arm from my grasp and wrapped his arm around even tighter. His voice was thick with sleep and laughter at the same time. "Roza, I swear you allow me no rest."

"You better get used to it Comrade. When we get out of here you won't be sleeping much" I whispered in his ear. His smile grew bigger as did mine. I finally sat straight up, which caused Dimitri to fall off of the cot. I leaned over to look down at him and he just stared at me with a smile. Laughing he said, "Since when did we switch roles?" Mikhail and Cole were laughing hysterically at this point. Did they know Dimitri?

"Hey Dimitri, looks like you're gonna have your hands full" Cole said smirking. Dimitri started laughing while he sat up and simply said, "You have no idea, what time is it?" Cole looked down at his watch and said, "Eleven forty eight." That was around midnight on our time.

Dimitri looked at me and asked "Ready to get out of here?" I couldn't believe he was speaking out loud and I looked over to see Mikhail and Cole walking to the cell and unlocking the door. What is going on? I looked at them frantically and then back over to Dimitri.

It was Cole who spoke first. "Calm down Rose we are helping get you out of here. We are going to help find out what is happening." I didn't know if I could trust Cole, or Mikhail, but something about their eyes told me to trust that they were being sincere. I looked to find the other guardians but came to the realization that there weren't any others. Where were they? Mikhail answered the question before I could ask. "Shift change happens in ten minutes so we need to move. The other guards are upstairs relaying Dimitri's visit to the others."

I jumped at the opportunity and looked to find Dimitri was already standing and waiting for us to leave. I took his hand and didn't look back. If Dimitri trusted them to lead us out of here, than I trusted them. We went down the passage to the end of the cell block and climbed a utility ladder up the wall. Cole was ahead of us and he removed the ceiling tile and climbed into the ventilation system. Mikhail, Dimitri and me followed and Cole waited for us to go through to replace the ceiling tile back in place. We were following Mikhail's lead very quietly not to make a sound. We heard walking and speaking beneath us but kept inching our way forward through the darkness. Mikhail came prepared though. He had a flashlight to light his way. He stopped quickly and I almost ran into him. His hand went up to his ear and I realized that he still had his earpiece in. He then began to move quicker and whispered, "We have to move faster they know you're gone." I heard shouting below us now and we were practically at running speeds on our hands and knees. We reached a vent cover from the outside and Mikhail kicked it out and jumped down. I stuck my head out and jumped down next with Dimitri and Cole following. There were two black SUVs waiting. Dimitri grabbed me around my waist and led me to the second SUV and opened the back door and shoved me inside. I was in shock and horror at the same time. Christian and Lissa were in the third row seat and popped their heads up as I jumped in. I looked at Dimitri who seemed to share my same shock and I instantly began shouting.

"Lissa! Christian! What the hell do you both think you are doing? You can't be here! You can't be involved in this!"

Lissa was the first to retaliate, "Rose, you have left me behind once before and I will not let it happen again! I am going with you! You promised we would do everything together and that includes now!"

I shut my mouth. I could feel her worry through the bond along with anger and determination. There was probably nothing I could say to stop her and we didn't have time to re-plan anything.

"Fine Lissa. We'll talk about this later."

The SUV started moving and we were heading to the north side. There was only one entrance on the north side and usually only two guardians. I was watching intently and I told Lissa and Christian to put their heads down. I didn't want them spotted and I couldn't bear if anything happened to them now that they were accomplices to helping me escape. The first SUV plowed through the gate and we followed. I looked frantically at Dimitri trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I don't like not knowing what is happening.

"Please, somebody tell me what is going on." I said it sternly but gentle enough to encourage someone to speak.

Lissa spoke first. "We are heading to the outskirts of Franklin Springs, Georgia. My parents had the old vacation estate there. Do you remember it? We haven't been there since we were six or seven." I nodded my head in acknowledgement. She continued "It is not listed anywhere because dad gave it to Andre for his early graduation present and we all haven't been there in years. No one will think to look for it under Andre's name." Just then I heard a loud thud to the back of the SUV that jolted us forward. A car was rear ending us to try to get us to stop. I reached and pulled Lissa into my seat as Dimitri automatically grabbed onto Christian. The car rear ended us again and it made Mikhail swerve.

"Mikhail, can you lose them?" Dimitri shouted. He just shook his head and it was obvious we had to do something. I made Lissa and Christian duck down in the seat while I jumped into the third row seating.

I yelled at Mikhail, "Pop the trunk!" Dimitri gave me a worried almost angry face. "No Rose!" Mikhail was rebutting what I said up front "You want me to wha-?" He was cut off by another hit to the back that threw me into the side of the car. I then saw the tire iron and jack stand laying underneath the seat. "Do it now Mikhail!" With that I saw the trunk latch open and I pushed against it as hard as I could. I could see it was a silver sedan behind us with four guardians inside. I grabbed the tire iron and threw it first at the windshield. It hit and created a large crack down the middle of the glass causing the driver to swerve on and off the road. I heard Lissa let out a scream and looked to see Christian protectively covering her body with his in the floorboard. That's when I heard Dimitri yelling "Rose close the trunk!"

It wouldn't be that easy because I knew they wouldn't give up, so I grabbed the jack stand. It was heavy, probably fifteen to twenty pounds. It should do the trick. When they sped up to try to hit the rear again I threw it as hard as I could and it shattered their windshield causing them to swerve and squeal the tires loudly as they drove into the ditch. Guardians were trained first and foremost to fight, not to drive.

With them no longer tailing us I felt safe enough to lean forward to grab the door to close it when I felt a sharp burning sensation in my upper arm when I reached out. My hand instantly went to the pain and when I pulled it back I saw that it was bloody. I then heard why. They were shooting at us! I heard the bullets ringing as I grabbed the door and slammed it shut. I then jumped over the seat and joined Lissa, Christian and Dimitri, who instantly grabbed me by the waist and pulled his body over mine. The sounds of bullets finely faded and Dimitri was the first to sit up.

Mikhail began to say "We're in the clear I think. I don't see anything behind us and..." but Lissa cut him off quickly, "Oh my God Rose! You're bleeding!" Everyone eyes flashed to mine but none so panicked as Dimitri's. He instantly pulled me to him examining my arm and shoulder. The pain hurt bad, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Lissa started to reach forward to heal me but Dimitri stopped her. "Lissa you can't heal her yet. The bullet is lodged in her shoulder, I don't see an exit wound. If you heal her the bullet will stay in and it could kill her." Realization hit Lissa's face and she leaned back in the seat. Dimitri took his shirt off and pressed it to my shoulder and then spoke to Christian next. "Christian, I need your shirt too we have to put pressure on this." Christian complied but just couldn't help himself. "Admit it Rose! You got shot just to see me half naked." Lissa hit his arm while Dimitri took the shirt growling and Mikhail was laughing up front. Dimitri started speaking to me then as he was putting pressure on my shoulder. "Do you have any idea how much you just scared me? Never do anything that reckless again!" He sounded stern but if he thought I was just going to be a damsel in distress for the rest of my life he had another thing coming.

"Dimitri, I did the right thing. I protected our Moroi and stopped them from trailing us. It's who I am and what I do. You know that." I tried to sound reasonable but he just seemed too upset to hear any of it.

"You're losing a lot of blood Roza. You need to lie down and hold still." Lissa and Christian had already crawled into the back seat so I stretched out with my head in Dimitri's lap as he held the pressure on my shoulder and soon a drowsy sleep took me under and a nightmare followed.

I was in the woods running under the sun beating down on my shoulders through the tree branches above. I could hear my breath and my feet hitting the ground with each stride and my heart pounding in my chest. Ahead I saw a bright white light so I immediately stopped on the path where I was. I began to walk towards it and it was illuminating itself with whirling bright colors, pale yellows, bright blues and baby pinks. Intrigued, I began to reach forward to touch the light and it instantly turned to blood red as the sky began to cloud and the thunder and lightning began. I looked to the sky confused of what was happening around me as the wind blew violently, but when I looked back down to the light it was surrounding me. Only I was on the ground and my spirit was looking down at my lifeless body. I began to scream and plead with this light as if it was alive but I saw blood coming from my chest where a stake was driven in. I tried to reach out to touch my body but something was keeping me back from reaching. I began to scream louder and that's when I felt hands on me shaking.

"Roza, wake up! It's okay we're safe." It was Dimitri with his arms around me trying to make me come out of my subconscious. I woke up on the floor of a large room with thick beige carpet and stone walls and a spicy yet sweet smell. I looked around frantically trying to see who all was there and that is when I went into shock. Mikhail, Cole, Dimitri, Lissa and Christian from our SUV were there, but so were Abe, my mother, Tasha and Adrian as well.


	7. Peace

**Hi everybody! Have you missed me? Lolz. Anywho, here is chapter 7…duh duh dum, just kidding. As always, please review! I love reviews! XOX Christa**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own VA or anything contained in VA, Richelle Mead does. I simply own the storyline that I have created. **

"Dimitri" I asked looking up at him. I was so confused and my shoulder hurt like hell. He looked up at everyone who was standing over me and said "Who is taking out the bullet? I would, but I don't think I can hurt her." Adrian scoffed and looked at Dimitri and said "I'll do it."

Dimitri looked at him and back to me protectively. I don't think he liked the thought of Adrian taking the bullet out of my shoulder, but my mother left the room and Dimitri probably couldn't handle doing it right now. Dimitri lifted me up and took me to the large and luxuriously decorated kitchen. I looked around and it had beige marble floors, maroon and white countertops and stainless steel appliances. The cabinets were a dark brown, probably mahogany, and had beautiful silver handles. You could tell that Lissa got her decorating skills from her mother, absolutely decadent and exquisite, every inch.

Dimitri set me on the countertop next to the sink and left saying "I'm going to find the med kit I packed." I just quietly nodded my head and turned to look at my shoulder. There was no exit wound through the back but when I looked at the front there was a hole about three quarters of an inch around and dried blood all the way down the front of my clothes. When I heard footsteps I looked up to see Adrian staring at me from the open doorway and I froze.

"Little Dhampir. Always getting hurt and in trouble aren't we?" he chuckled as he walked forward. I hadn't seen Adrian since I had been in Lissa's mind and she gave him my message. I thought he would hate me by now? I loved him, it was undeniable, but it would never be in the way that I loved Dimitri. I just looked up into his beautiful jade eyes and said all I could manage, "Hi Adrian."

He walked right in front of me and I put my head down. It hurt me to think what I have put Adrian through and just seeing him was a memory of the pain I caused him. I can't believe he has now jeopardized himself to be here, but knowing Adrian, old habits die hard. I started to speak "Adrian, you shouldn't have come here. You have risked too…" He cut me off by lifting my chin very gently and looking in my eyes with so much intensity it hurt. "Rose, no matter what you will always be a part of my life. I will be here for you like I always promised no matter what."

I dropped my head down again and let the shameful tears start to fill my eyes. I didn't even know what to say to him. "I'm so sorry Adrian. I tried." Then he put his arms around me and gave me a hug as I laid my head on his shoulder and lifted my arms underneath his and held his back.

"Rose, I know you tried. But I love you enough to know what is best for you. For a long time I thought it was me, that I could give you everything. But when I see you with him you don't even have to say a word for me to know that he is your world as you are his. Your auras say everything." The tears started to fall silently and I didn't understand how Adrian could be so wonderful. He deserved someone who could love him the way I loved Dimitri. He pulled back to look at me and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Rose, I will always love you. You are the type of person that no one can help loving. But I will learn to change my love for you, into the type of love you need from me." He put his head down sighing now and I thought he was going to cry when he looked back up to my eyes. "Just please let me still be a part of your life."

The sobs started to increase in my chest as I pulled Adrian into a tighter hug than before and I told him the truth of my feelings for him just as I should have from the beginning. "Adrian, I will always love you. Never like Dimitri, but because you are one of the most wonderful people I have ever met and I will never push you out of my life again. You have just made me so happy knowing that we can still be in each other's lives and be happy for one another no matter the circumstances." He squeezed me back when I heard Dimitri walking through the doorway, smiling. He must have just heard everything that was said between Adrian and me.

He set the kit on the countertop and looked at me and Adrian, who pulled away from our hug quickly. Adrian started to speak first but Dimitri cut him off. "Adrian, for a long time I have doubted your feelings for my Roza." Adrian began to cut him off but Dimitri lifted his hand and continued, "But after what you just told her I realize now that you are a better man than I have ever been able to admit. Thank you." Adrian's eyes grew large looking at Dimitri, maybe he was expecting an argument, but instead Dimitri was basically trying to make friends between them. Dimitri continued, "Thank you so much for taking care of her while I was gone. Thank you for helping her bring me back and thank you for loving her enough to know that she still needs you in her life." Adrian just nodded his head and looked at me and then over to Dimitri, silent at first but then allowing himself to speak. "I didn't do any of those things for you Dimitri, but know that if you don't take care of her you will answer to me." The idea of Adrian ever threatening Dimitri never crossed my mind until this moment, but Dimitri didn't take it badly, he simply held out his hand and Adrian took it and they started shaking.

"I will move heaven and earth for this woman" is all Dimitri said. It all ended up better than I could have ever hoped for. Adrian delicately removed the bullet while Dimitri held my hand and then Lissa came in to heal me shortly after that. I had a scar but it looked like a small molnija so I was alright with it.

We all settled into the large and luxurious living room. I snuggled into Dimitri's chest on the couch with Lissa and Christian lying on the couch opposite us. There were two recliners sitting side by side where Adrian and Tasha were sitting and the television was on but no one was listening. I was no longer in pain and I felt so much better but I was exhausted from everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. I was slightly annoyed that Tasha was here, but I figured that she would know what was going on because Christian is her only family so naturally she would follow him. Then I started to think about our need to still protect them, they are Moroi. I asked, "Has anyone checked the perimeter? Is someone on shift?" Dimitri nodded and said, "Your mother is outside. She volunteered for the first shift so we all had a chance to talk and get settled. She spoke to Abe and flew in last week to get everything ready here for us." I thought about it while nodding my head. That explained why she hadn't visited me at Court, she was already here preparing for my escape. I bet she was livid with everything that has happened. I wonder if she knew about the shower incident or not, but then I mentally laughed at the idea of my mother breaking the law with my criminal father to break me out of jail.

Dimitri then put his lips to my ear and whispered, "Are you ready for bed? You look tired Roza." He was right, I was very tired and bed sounded better and better the more I thought about it. I just nodded my head while standing up and saying goodnight to everyone. They mumbled their goodnights in return and I headed for the staircase that took me to my room when I noticed Dimitri was right behind me.

"Are you going to bed too?" I asked as I kept climbing the stairs. He smiled and said, "Well, if it's alright with you, I thought we would share a room." I nearly stopped dead in my tracks. He then was right behind me and asked, "Is it alright? I mean, I know that you might not have gotten used to the idea of us being together at night, but I thought…" I immediately silenced him with my lips. The kiss started gentle but as Dimitri wrapped his arms around me the intensity increased. I was standing a step ahead of him and so we were almost on the same level. My arms were around his neck resting on his shoulders as my hands were in his hair and his left hand trailed up to my face cupping the side when he then slowed his kissing and asked against my lips, "Is that a yes?" I just nodded my head and gave him a small peck as I turned to continue walking to my room.

Lissa told me I had the old guest bedroom because it had its own bathroom, but when I walked in I had nearly forgotten how beautiful and spacious it was. The room was a deep red with beige carpet and golden ornaments hanging on the wall and a fireplace at the center. A large king size canopy bed was against the wall with sheer ivory linen hanging from the sides and all the furniture was a deep chocolate brown. An ivory chaise was in the corner with our bags lying on the end and I walked to mine to get my pajamas out. Lissa had packed some of my clothes from my room back at Court for me, but when I looked inside I could tell there were a few additions she must have snuck in. Dresses, heels and other things, all of which I had no idea why she would have packed, but it is Lissa. I grabbed my favorite pair of flannel shorts and a white tank top while Dimitri was getting his toothbrush and pajama pants out of his bag.

I know I shouldn't have felt awkward but I had never spent the night alone with Dimitri and everybody known about it and been okay with it. Nor have we ever been in the position to watch each others' habits, but I loved the idea that he was always going to be by my side. I grabbed my toothbrush out of my bag as well and walked to the bathroom where Dimitri had already changed into his pajama pants and didn't have a shirt on which distracted my ability to walk. His abs were still as well defined as I remembered. He was brushing his teeth but I could see his eyes following me in the mirror as I walked towards the shower. The bathroom was large and had a Jacuzzi bathtub as well as a standing shower in it and a double sink with a large mirror down the wall. There was a closet at the end with towels inside where I snagged one. I wanted to take a shower but was nervous getting undressed in front of Dimitri. He was the only man to ever see me naked but that was in a low-lit cabin not a bright bathroom, and it was months ago. I must have showed my nervousness because Dimitri had finished brushing his teeth and walked up behind me and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm going to go climb into bed. Enjoy your shower." I looked at his back as he walked out of the bathroom and it felt good that Dimitri knew me so well. I wanted to be intimate with him again so badly, but I was exhausted and just had a bullet dug out of my shoulder, so I wasn't exactly in the mood. Besides, our first time together again needed to be special. I wanted to be able to show him in every way just how much I missed and loved him.

When I was out of the shower and dressed I was drying my hair with a towel as I walked back out to the bedroom and dug in my bag for my hairbrush. I started going through my tangled mess and when I had finally gotten all the knots out I nearly ran to jump in bed. Dimitri looked like he was sleeping but when I lifted the blankets on my side to get in bed a hand reached out and grabbed me to pull me closer to him. I was lying on my side with my head on his chest and my arm on his stomach. His arm was around my waist with the other gently stroking my hair. For the first time in a long time I felt at peace. I let out a sigh and he looked down and lifted my chin up to look into his eyes. "What's wrong my Roza?" How could he think something was wrong when for the first time the world felt right? I just smiled and said, "Nothing is wrong, I am just at peace being here with you." He smiled and kissed my lips and then laid his head back on his pillow. I then slipped into a dreamless and blissful sleep.

I woke up and reached over to find that Dimitri wasn't there. My heart began to speed up until I found the note lying on his pillow next to a beautiful red rose.

_My Roza,_

_I am sorry I am not lying next to you already, but your stomach told me that you were hungry so I am downstairs cooking breakfast. I thought the rose would make you smile, but just know it will never be as beautiful as you. _

_Love,_

_Dimitri_

I instantly smiled at how sweet that man could be, God I missed him. When I sat up I looked down to my stomach and spoke out loud, "Traitor." I quickly got dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and an olive green tank top and headed downstairs.

That's when I saw the funniest sight I have seen in ages. Lissa was cooking and had Dimitri in an apron cooking with her. He was so tall that the apron hardly went below his waist and they were both covered in flour. I started laughing immediately and Lissa looked up at me and pouted, "Why are you laughing? I'm fixing you breakfast!"

I couldn't help but still laugh at the sight of them. Tears were in my eyes and when I thought I finally had control to stop laughing Christian rounded the corner and started laughing too, only making it worse. Lissa gave him a glare and announced proudly, "We are in Georgia and I figured it is only right if I made us a southern breakfast. We are cooking biscuits." Dimitri shot me a glance that said 'please help me' but I still couldn't control the laughter. The flour was all over the counter, in their hair, on their faces and not to mention their clothes. It was just too funny.

During breakfast my mother and Abe showed up. My mother walked over to me and gave me a rib breaking hug all the time saying, "Thank God you are alright. I was so worried." My mother and I had become closer, but I didn't know she worried that much about me. I looked at her when she let go and said the only thing I knew to say, "Thank you for helping me mom." She just nodded and sat down to begin to explain the perimeter and that she updated it with current technology because nobody had been here in years. We had surveillance cameras and two alarm systems in place, one primary and one as back-up, because there was only me, Dimitri and my mother making up the guardian ranks. There was a seven foot cement wall surrounding the property and the alarm system triggered at any movement across the wall, so we didn't need to take shifts unless we wanted to. My mother had quite literally turned our hideout into a fortress. If anyone or anything was trying to get in we would know. I smiled at the thought that Lissa was safe from anything that might come our way.

She then explained that she set up one of the garages as a gym so we could stay in shape for however long we were here. She continued to update everything we missed, that was until she noticed that Dimitri's hand was resting on my leg as we were sitting.

"Belikov, why do you have your hand on my daughter's leg?" I gulped and everybody sitting at the table stiffened. What was I suppose to say, I thought everybody knew, but I completely forgot about telling my mother! Dimitri cut off my thoughts when he looked at my mother and spoke.

"Guardian Hathaway, I am in love with your daughter and have been for quite some time now…" He was cut off as my mother had leapt onto him like a tigress protecting her cub the only difference was that my mother was deadlier. Dimitri blocked her punches and I could hear my father laughing as Tasha and I were trying to pull my mom off of Dimitri. "How could you touch her? She was your student? I am going to rip you in two!"

I decided to end this now when I jumped in front of Dimitri and my mother's fist caught the left side of my face. Even though my face had just taken a pretty good blow I turned around and stared at my mother intently as she tried to calm herself and stood up from her crouch in front of me. Dimitri immediately grabbed my face to see what she had done, but I brushed his hands off as I took a step towards my mother.

"Mom, Dimitri and I love each other more than you will ever know. I am not asking you for permission, I never have, and I certainly won't now." She turned a shade of red I have never seen on her before. She started to open her mouth to speak but I took another step forward and her mouth closed just as fast. She looked at me and then at Dimitri and stormed out of the room.

My father was still laughing and Christian and Adrian soon chimed in after my mother had left. "What the hell is so funny Abe? Didn't you think you should have mentioned us to her before she saw us?" He was still laughing but said "No. You're a big girl remember? Fight your own fights or something like that. Besides, it was quite entertaining. I haven't seen her that mad since she threw a chair at me." He was still laughing and now I was fuming. Of course Zmey wouldn't have told her. I turned to find Dimitri staring at me intently and I just walked up and rested my head on his chest. "Just give her time to accept it" was all he said about my mother. I had other words for her but they would wait until later.

About an hour later Tasha and Lissa were planning a trip into town to go grocery shopping and I was excited to go until my father stepped in. "Rose, you can't leave this house. Someone might recognize you." We were in the middle of nowhere with a town that had a population of less than a thousand. "Well who will protect Lissa and Tasha? I have to go."

Abe continued sternly this time, "Dimitri and your mother will accompany the girls into town, but you have to stay here." Great. My mother and Dimitri working together, that just sounded peachy. I looked to Dimitri and he just nodded his head at me and I couldn't help but feel defeated. Lissa stared at me and said through the bond, _I'm sorry Rose but it's for the best. We won't be gone long._ I just nodded my head at her and decided I could go the gym while they were gone.

I followed Lissa upstairs to help her get ready for the trip and Tasha followed closely behind. Tasha was always nice to me but I will always have a sort of resentment towards her for wanting Dimitri. Not that I could blame her. She then grabbed my arm to turn me towards her before we walked into Lissa's room.

"Rose, I just want you to know that I am here to help, not for any other reasons. Ok? Dimka is my friend and has been for quite a long time, but I know he is very happy with you and that makes me happy."

I looked at her not quite knowing what to say. She pulled me into a hug and I had to hug her back, but I felt bad for her at the same time. It was almost like she was in Adrian's position with me but with her and Dimitri instead. As she rested her head on my shoulder she softly said, "I hope one day you can find it in you to forgive me. I didn't know about you and Dimka." Without a second thought I whispered back to her, "I already have."

Lissa popped her head out of her room and asked, "Are you guys coming?" I saw Tasha's face and I thought I saw the glistening of tears but I just pat her on the back and walked into Lissa's room. Lissa asked me through the bond what happened and I just looked at Tasha and smiled, to which she replied, "_Thank God you two can get along now. It will make Christian so happy and you will have another good friend in your life._" I just nodded and listened to them start to drone on about what they were going to do in town. They were trying to dress as inconspicuously as possible just in case they might be recognized as well. I however was bored out of my mind.

Dimitri gave me a hug and a brief kiss before they left. He assured me that they would be back soon. We were all living on a semi-human schedule now and dark would be here in a few hours. I decided to walk into the gym and found myself shocked to see Christian standing inside.

"Hey Sparky. Thinking about buffing up a little?" I had to tease him. He just made it too easy sometimes.

"No Rose. I thought maybe we could practice a little, you know team fighting." Team fighting was what Christian referred to when we fought together. If one thing was for sure, he was the bravest Moroi I had ever met and I was glad to have a good friend fight beside me. I knew he would protect me as I would protect him if anything were to ever happen.

"Sure Sparky, I'll set some dummies up outside." It took me about an hour to haul the practice dummies outside and Christian helped as best as he could, but he was not as strong as I was. I placed them in different positions across the back yard, which happened to be a wide open field. I grabbed my stake and looked back to Christian and asked, "Ready to light'em up?" He just grinned and nodded his head and that was all I needed to start.


	8. Need

**Hello my wonderful readers! I made this chapter interesting and spicy! It's not a lemon scene, but am considering on continuing it into one, but it depends on what you guys think and want! So review! XOX Christa**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own VA or anything contained in VA, Richelle Mead does. I simply own the storyline that I have created. **

When Christian and I were done practicing I was slightly irritated. He accidentally singed my shoulder and it burned now, but the look in his face told me it was just an accident. As we were putting the dummies back in the gym I was thinking about how there were only three of us to guard Lissa, Christian, Tasha and Abe at the moment. Where did Mikhail, Cole and Zmey's guardians go? I know I saw them when Dimitri pulled me out of the SUV and Mikhail and Cole helped me escape. I decided maybe Christian would know something.

"Hey Sparky, do you know where the other guardians went?" I asked curiously.

He thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. "No Rose. Last time I saw them was when they were leaving about an hour after we got here." He then looked down to the floor as if he were contemplating something. "Maybe Abe has them doing something else." Usually Christian was the last person to put two and two together, but at this point in time I couldn't agree more. Zmey was keeping something from me and I had to find out what.

I was walking out of the gym deep in thought when Christian interrupted, "Hey Rose." He stopped and started to walk towards me and stopped a few feet away. He looked at me as a friend looks at one with deep devotion and kindness, a look that was both surprising and scary on Christian.

"What's up Sparky?" He then pulled me into a tight hug and I started to object at first at Christian's unusual behavior but decided him risking his life to be here with me was deserving of a friendly tender moment. When he released me he stood in the doorway and started to speak.

"Rose, I know that you feel like everything has gone wrong, but I just want to make sure you know that none of us will let anything happen to you. You are important to all of us." His face showed utter sincerity and I could feel pride that Christian's and I's brother and sister relationship just strengthened. I didn't know what to say to his statement. I was so grateful that my friends were willing to support me, but in the same instance I was upset because they risked too much.

"Christian, I am very grateful that you and everyone else decided to stand with me, but you risk too much. You shouldn't..." He cut me off before I could finish.

"Rose, when you were in jail, all of us realized how important you are to us." He paused trying to find the words to say next and I stood quietly waiting for him to make his point. "You are the one who keeps us all centered, keeps us together." I realized that my dysfunctional family loved me, but when Christian was admitting it, I couldn't help but start to tear up. "Rose, the way you protect Lissa, even from herself, makes me know just how important you are. You always fought the battles for us and it is only right that we can help you fight yours." In that moment I realized just how happy I was that he was the man Lissa chose. Sure, they had issues just like any relationship, but I could see in his eyes how devoted to her he was. This time I grabbed Christian and pulled him into a tight hug.

When I pulled away we started to walk back to the main house and the smartass Christian I know and loved returned. "If you tell anyone what just happened, I will deny it." I just laughed out loud while shaking my head.

"Can I call you Bubby or Bro now?" I asked jokingly to which he replied by shoving my shoulder.

When we got back to the main house I noticed Dimitri, Lissa, Tasha and my mom still hadn't returned from their shopping trip. I started to get worried so I shifted my mind to Lissa's through the bond. She was happily chatting with Tasha while walking down an isle of some store. In her peripheral vision I could see Dimitri standing slightly behind her and my mother a little further behind. At least Dimitri was still in one piece, I was still pissed at my mother for overreacting like always. They were in a grocery store of some kind and Lissa was in the pasta isle planning a grand dinner. Only Lissa would think of an extravagant dinner when our lives were in jeopardy, but if it made her happy it made me happy. I could tell Dimitri was bored, which made me laugh mentally. He never liked shopping, especially when Lissa was involved. I came back to my mind and saw Adrian standing in front of me.

"Hey Adrian" I said walking past him heading to the couch and plopping down and stretching out. I needed a shower but it could wait.

"Hey little Dhampir, spying on Lissa are we?" he said smiling as he took a seat in the adjacent chair.

"I was just checking to make sure that she was okay, they weren't back yet." He just nodded his head as he leaned back further in the chair and put his arms over his head. I liked this idea of only friendship and distance with Adrian, I just hoped he wasn't too hurt and upset with me. Suddenly a thought came to my mind. Adrian was sort of friendly with my father, so maybe he knew where Mikhail, Cole and Abe's guardians were.

"Adrian, do you know where the other guardians went?" I asked hesitantly. He shot forward in his chair and put his hands on his knees while looking at me with a shocked expression. His new position told me he knew.

"Please tell me, I think I have the right to know what is going on." He began to shake his head in disagreement when he spoke. "No, your father might kill me if I tell you and he thinks that you need to relax while you are here, which I agree. Just let them take care of things, they'll be back soon."

I was getting frustrated. I had a right to know what they were doing, especially if it had to do with me. What was Zmey up to now? I was furious that he wouldn't tell so I decided to try and reason with him.

"Adrian, I need to know. Please just tell me." He stood up and looked down at me. "Rose please don't be mad, but I can't. Just let them do what they have to and wait for them to get back and we'll all figure out everything from there."

I stood up now because apparently something big was going on that no one thought was important enough to tell me. I looked at Adrian and he tilted his head down looking to the floor.

"I'll find out eventually, you should just tell me." He just shook his head and turned around heading for the kitchen with me following behind him. "Rose, I don't know everything, I only know what I overheard and your father made me promise not to tell you. I know you don't like to, but just please be patient."

Obviously, Adrian wasn't going to budge on the issue so I turned around and stomped upstairs. I was furious because I needed to know what Zmey had my friends up to now, on my behalf. They were already risking too much, but now he was sending them out somewhere in the open for reasons I couldn't explain. Just wait until I find him.

I reached my room and instantly headed for the shower. I thought it would calm me down but I was still angry. The darkness was still thick and I didn't think Lissa should heal it with as much spirit as she had been using to heal me. I wrapped a towel around me and quickly combed through my wet hair and decided it was pointless to blow dry it, it wasn't like I was going anywhere soon. The spot where Christian singed my shoulder was still stinging a little, but it had already started to scab over. The spot was just at my bra-line and was about four inches around. I thought about putting some crème on it, but I started to get sleepy and said screw it.

I went into the bedroom to find my pajamas but thought a tank top would irritate my shoulder more, so I climbed into bed in just a pair of underwear and shorts for a short nap. I had nothing better to do and I didn't think they would be back anytime soon. The ivory sheets were made of sateen and were soft and soothing but the comforter was a thick down comforter. I started to drift in and out of sleep but I started to get hot so I kicked the comforter down to the bottom of the bed and kept just the sheet on me, covering from my waist down. I felt my subconscious begin to take over when I heard the door open quietly. Dimitri.

My back was to the door and I realized that I was uncovered from the waist up. Instead of letting him know I was awake, I decided to see what he would do. I had a pillow in front of me with my arms around it, so the only thing he could see was my exposed back down to my hips. I heard his breathing increase when he whispered, "Roza." I didn't move. I just pretended to be asleep while secretly hoping he would come wake me up. Instead he did something more sensual and tender, making a moment that only Dimitri could make me yearn for. I heard him walk up to the side of the bed with my back still to him and could feel his eyes tracing my skin. I almost flinched when I felt his hand touch me, but I remained as still as possible, concentrating on my breathing. He moved the edges of his fingers beginning at my knee and slowly tracing upwards over the sateen sheet. When he reached my hip his fingers stopped moving and then started to slowly trace circles on my hip bone and down to the small of my back. But then they returned slowly back to the edge of the fabric, which he gathered gently and silently and pulled it slowly upwards while dragging his fingertips across my skin. He pulled the sheet up to my shoulders and then I heard him loudly sigh. He then bent down and kissed my neck on the edge of my collarbone and I heard him walk to the door and leave.

After he was gone, I shot straight up in bed. He simply just traced my skin, but with such intensity that the sudden separation made me want him worse than I ever have. I found a tank top and pair of yoga pants and quickly headed out the door. I went into the living room and the kitchen searching for him, but no one was in there. I then checked the den and thought that maybe he went to the gym.

I walked outside into the evening rays of sun and felt the warm air on my skin and I could hear the music from my iPod coming from the gym. I quietly walked in and saw Dimitri furiously beating the punching bag with his shirt off and wearing only a pair of black knee shorts. He was listening to _One Love_ by Trey Songz, which was a song I loved, but an odd choice for Dimitri. I loved the sight of him, if he only knew the things he could to me just by moving. His back was to me as he started to slow down on the punching bag and quietly lean against it. I walked up behind him silently as he started to stand straighter realizing I was there. I was standing behind him, breathing in the sight of him, as I took my hands and placed them on his shoulder blades and started to trace downwards while resting my head on his skin. I heard his breathing pick up as I gently rubbed his back slowly upwards and downwards, just feeling his soft skin on my calloused hands.

"Roza, you have no idea what you are doing to me." He turned around and tilted his head down resting his forehead on mine while placing his hands softly on my hips and rubbed back and forth.

I looked at the man I loved in his deep intoxicating brown eyes and I couldn't help but reach up and graze his cheek with the back of my hand and down his neck to his shoulder.

He slowly lifted me up resting his arms underneath my hips and pressed his lips to mine so tenderly. Our lips were patient at first, tasting each other and feeling our sensuous skin pressed together. But while walking backwards to the wall he started moving his right arm around my waist to hold my back while the other was still holding me up and his gentle kiss became hungry and passionate. My back was now pressed against the wall and my arms were around his waist with my hands gently dragging my fingernails across his shoulders. His tongue gently slid across my lower lip and I welcomed it as I opened my mouth to his. He took his hand from my back and wrapped it around my neck with my hair twisted in his fingers and I soon had to regretfully pull my lips from his to breath. He continued to kiss my face as he gently set me down on the ground bringing one arm around my waist holding my hip and the other still holding my neck. His kisses trailed from my cheekbone down my face and started down my neck when he pulled his head back to look at me.

"Roza, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I will understand, but I can't go much further."

I looked at my love in awe of his words as I pulled him back so our skin was now pressed against each other and lifted my face to put my lips on his ear and whispered, "Dimitri, I have never been this sure of needing you this badly."


	9. Coincidence

**Due to overwhelming demand, by the way I love you guys; I have written a very spicy lemon for between chapters 8 and 9, which has warnings and disclaimers all over it stating it is for VERY MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. I published it as a separate story under my profile named **_**Animalistic Need**_**, so that I would not offend those who do not wish to read that type of content. So, here is chapter 9! Please enjoy and hopefully I will see a bunch of reviews! (WINK;)) XOXX Christa**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not VA or the characters, Richelle Mead does.**

I woke up lying on Dimitri's chest with his arms around me. Every muscle I had ached, but in such a good way that I sighed in happiness. Dimitri looked perfect when he slept. His long dark eyelashes were still and his perfect tan skin made his face glow. He looked so at peace and happy but when my stomach started growling loudly I saw his eyes begin to flutter open. I started to rub his chest softly when his eyes fell on mine and I smiled when I noticed they had the same intensity for me that they did last night. I could still feel the electricity flowing through our bodies as I laid naked against his skin and he on mine.

He leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose and said "Good morning мой ангел".

I looked at him confused. Then he clarified, "It means my angel". I started laughing at the thought. He now looked at me in confusion, "Why are you laughing?" I put on my maneater smile and said, "After last night, an angel is the last thing I thought you would call me". He simply smiled and started stroking my hair with the arm that was around my back. Although, thinking of angels made me think that if there was a heaven it had to be something like this. I started snuggling my face deeper into his neck and he just pulled his arms around me tighter. I was starting to fall back into sleep when I heard her screaming.

"Lissa!" I jumped out of bed and grabbed a towel off the floor and wrapped it around me as I ran to her room. I opened the door as fast as I could to see Christian holding Lissa who was sitting up in the bed sobbing with her face in her hands. I didn't care if I was intruding but I ran and leaped on the bed and pulled Lissa into a hug. She was still sobbing and her tears were running down my shoulders.

"Lissa, are you alright? What happened?" I started asking so many questions in barely a whisper while gently rubbing her back to calm her down.

"Rose, the light…" she started to say in a cracking voice. "I saw a red light take your spirit from your dead body." Her tears were starting to pour again when she leaned back to talk to me. "Someone staked you through the heart. It seemed so real!" I pulled her back into my chest and began to rub her back again as my whole body tensed. Lissa had the exact same dream I had! I knew I couldn't lie to her, but now was not the time to tell her that I had the same dream. I turned my head over my shoulder to see Dimitri standing in the doorway in his shorts, staring at me. I turned my face back to Lissa and pulled her back to see my face.

"Lissa, it's ok. I'm alright, I'm right here. Ok?" She began to nod her head again and I saw the tears still running down her face. Through the bond she felt like the dream was so real, she was so confused. I put my hands to her face and wiped her cheeks.

"I'm not going anywhere Lissa. I'm staying right here with you, just like I promised." I paused trying to think of what else to say to make her calm down.

I held her there for a few more minutes until she calmed down and then I heard Christian clear his throat. I looked over and noticed he was in his boxers and I was embarrassed for barging in, but of course he spoke which changed my mood quickly.

"Not that I am against having two gorgeous women in my bed, however, can I have Lissa back now Rose?" he said while grinning.

I just shot him back an evil glare, as did Lissa, and quickly threw out my comeback. "Christian, you can barely handle Lissa by herself, you would just be committing suicide when it came to me." I heard Dimitri begin to laugh in the doorway and Christian's face turned a new shade of red I hadn't seen before.

I stood up to begin to walk out to get dressed when Christian made my mental victory dance fade. "Well, from the looks of it, Dimitri could barely handle you last night" he said chuckling. I looked at Dimitri and noticed he had several purple spots covering his body that I did not mean to put there. I began to blush furiously when Dimitri came and put an arm around my waist and turned to look at Christian.

"No Christian, I can handle her. If you don't know that you are supposed to look like this after an amazing night, then maybe you just aren't doing it right." Christian's jaw dropped and now Lissa was laughing hysterically with me as Dimitri and I walked out.

I was elated when we got back to our room. Dimitri had never been so open in front of anyone before about our relationship and the joy must have shown on my face.

"I love that smile" he said walking up and gripping me in a hug. "Care to tell me what you are thinking about?"

I couldn't help smiling while looking up to his warm brown eyes. "It's just that you have never said anything so open about us before. I kind of liked it." He started to chuckle while he rubbed the side of my arms.

"Well Roza, I told you that we would never hide our relationship again. Besides, I didn't like Christian referring to you being in bed with him." I laughed this time. I knew Christian was only joking but apparently it made Dimitri a little jealous.

"I think you scared the poor boy" was all I could say through my laughing. He was laughing too now and said "Well maybe he won't make any more sexual innuendos."

I started to walk over to get some clothes when Dimitri's voice became serious. "Roza, why did you stiffen like you did when Lissa told you her dream?" Of course Dimitri would notice that, he noticed everything about me and I couldn't hide anything from him. I didn't know if I should try to hide the fact that Lissa and I were now having the same dream or if I should tell him the truth. He knew I was contemplating telling him the truth so he came to sit on the edge of the bed near me.

"Roza please tell me whatever it is. I know something is wrong." I decided that maybe the truth would be best.

"I had that same dream." He looked at me confused and I started to remember every detail of the dream. It did seem so real, it frightened me. "I had that dream after I was shot in the SUV. It was before you woke me up and carried me inside."

He began to nod his head so I decided to tell him everything I knew about the dream. He just sat still and quiet, occasionally nodding his head and when I was finished he pulled me to him to where I was standing in front of him and his arms were around me as he sat on the bed. His face was against my stomach and I heard him say, "I will never let anything happen to you Roza. Wherever you go, I will be there." I stood there for a few minutes with my arms around his neck and his around my waist in silence.

My stomach growls never came at a more perfect time. He just began to chuckle and stood up saying, "We better get you something to eat."

When we both got down to the kitchen Lissa was already cooking with Tasha, who was talking to Adrian as he sat at the bar with his lazy grin.

"Morning everybody" I said. "Morning Rose" Adrian and Tasha said at the same time. They were acting a little strange but I decided to walk into the dining room and to my surprise I saw Abe sitting at the end of the table. I remembered him and I still had a little talk coming so I pulled the chair out that was next to him and sat down leaning forward glaring at him.

He looked up and said, "Good morning Rose." I still stared at him, more intently this time.

He didn't look intimidated at all, but I expected that from Abe. He spoke again "Is there a reason why you are staring at me like that?"

"Where are the other guardians Abe? I know you sent them somewhere and I have the right to know where and what you put them up to."

He leaned back in his chair contemplating what to say to me. He and I were the only ones in the dining room and I didn't understand why he was keeping information from me. He leaned back forward resting his elbows on the table and said, "They'll be back tomorrow. I sent them to Las Vegas to look for some paperwork."

I was happy and mad at the same time. "Abe, you should not have sent them out into the open like that, especially Mikhail and Cole. Pavel and your guardians have to because you pay them, but they all are risking too much."

"Rose, when I told you that we would get to the bottom of this, I meant it. Besides, they haven't run into any trouble and I am keeping tabs with them. We are trying to find any leads as to the identity of Lissa's sibling…" I cut him off shushing him.

"I still haven't told Lissa or Dimitri about any of this." He just nodded his head in understanding and leaned forward more on the table. "All we know so far is that her sibling is male and a Dhampir." I was shocked. I always assumed that her sibling would be Moroi since I heard of Lissa's father having an affair and the Queen giving me the note. He continued speaking, "We tracked down a friend of the mother's. The woman apparently died during childbirth and so the boy was sent to an orphanage of some kind. They are still trying to find out where, but all the paperwork leads have ended." Lissa's poor brother had been growing up his whole life alone and unloved, never knowing that he belonged to a Royal family, Dhampir or not. I was suddenly furious with Eric Dragomir for ever putting a woman through that kind of hell and never finding his son. Then it hit me. He was making deposits into an account in Las Vegas, that's how they knew of his infidelity. If his son was in an orphanage, then who was the money going to? Abe noticed that I became very quiet and asked softly, "What else do you know Rose?"

I told him about what I knew and he agreed that there had to be a paper trail somewhere telling us who was getting the money that was being deposited monthly. We started to discuss possibilities when Lissa, Dimitri, Adrian and Tasha walked in from the kitchen carrying food. I mouthed to Abe, "We'll talk later" and he just nodded. Dimitri and Lissa were arguing about Christian's behavior this morning and all I could do was laugh. They acted like they were brother and sister now and Adrian and Tasha noticed it too. I saw Dimitri had a plate in his hand with chocolate doughnuts and I couldn't help but squeal. It had been so long since I have had a doughnut and it looked so good.

"Where did you get doughnuts?" I asked as I took the plate happily. Dimitri just kissed my forehead and said, "I got them from the grocery store yesterday. I know how you love your doughnuts." I began to laugh and ate all of them off the plate happily.

Adrian was the first to speak as we all were getting up from the table, "Rose, I don't know how you can eat that much and not weigh five hundred pounds." I just laughed thinking about the workout I had last night. Lissa was the first to defend me though. "She works out all the time Adrian! You know that!" That's when my mother walked into the dining room.

My smile instantly faded from my face as I glared at her. Dimitri just looked at her and nodded, "Janine." I looked at him in amazement. Since when were him and my mom on a first name basis? She nodded back and said, "Dimitri." What the hell was going on?

She then spoke to me, "Rose, I'm doing some security stuff now but sometime tonight do you mind if the four of us sit down and have a discussion?" I was definitely going into shock now. She not only asked my permission for a talk but wanted my father included in that discussion. I looked up to Dimitri and he just nodded his head.

"Yes mom, I will call you sometime later tonight for us to have a talk." She just nodded her head again and said, "Thank you." It would also be a perfect time for me and Abe to catch up to what the hell was going on out in Las Vegas and the information Sydney told me before the Queen was murdered. "Dimitri, do you mind helping me with some wiring for extra cameras?" Now I was definitely in shock. She wanted to work with Dimitri and she looked calm. "Sure Janine, just give me a minute." She nodded her head and walked back the way she came and my gaze instantly turned towards Dimitri.

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked him in disbelief. He just chuckled and gave me a quick kiss and said "She and I are just trying to come to an understanding." He kissed me again before I could say anything else and said, "I'll see you in a little while." He walked out and I just looked at his back not knowing what to say. Abe, always being the smartass, came up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about him" he started to say. "I think he can run faster than your mother." I turned to give him an evil glare as he started leaving the room while laughing.

After helping Tasha and Lissa carry the dishes to the kitchen, I decided today would be a great day for Lissa and me to spend some time with each other. We hadn't been able to spend a lot of time with one another since everything has happened and with her having that dream this morning, now seemed like a perfect time. But I had to find a way to distract Tasha, which is when Adrian walked in with a glass of something I'm sure was alcohol. I didn't want to seem rude, so I had to think of something quick.

"Hey Adrian, will you give Tasha a hand with the dishes? I need Lissa to help me with something." He raised an eyebrow in curiosity and I mouthed "please" to him and he took the hint.

"Sure Rose. I wouldn't mind being elbow deep in soapy water with a beautiful woman." He was laying it on thick and Tasha was blushing furiously, so I took the chance to grab Lissa's arm and head straight for the stairs. I heard giggling from the kitchen as we climbed the stairs and I had to make a mental note to thank Adrian later.

We went to Lissa's room and as soon as we were inside she turned around and looked at me with curiosity flowing through the bond.

"I'm sorry Liss. I haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time with you lately, so I thought you wouldn't object to the idea of just hanging out."

She seemed excited and of course the first thing Lissa would think of is to do girly stuff while we hung out. "Let's do our nails! I brought my stuff with me. It can be just like back at the Academy." I just smiled and said "Sure" as she rushed into the bathroom to get her manicure bag. I was dreading having to explain everything to Lissa, she deserved to have a little bit of normalcy after all the hell she caught because of me. But I promised I would tell her the truth.

She started with my nails first, holding my hands in hers as she started filing. I felt the warmth and happiness through our bond and it was before long that we were just chatting about everything that has happened in the last month. She was thrilled that Dimitri and I had worked everything out and that I was happy but I could feel a sense of concern through our bond.

"What's up Liss? I know you are worried about something, just tell me." She was applying a base coat to my nails and staring down she asked, "Have you and Dimitri talked about what happened while he was Strigoi?" I shook my head no and she let out a sigh. "You guys still need to talk about that. I think you both would feel much better and he would be relieved to get it off his chest." I knew that Dimitri and I needed to still talk a lot of things through, but at the moment, I actually felt secure in the feeling that we were unbreakable. But Lissa and I had more important things to discuss, so I tried to change the subject as smoothly as possible.

"Lissa, you know you risked too much coming here with me. You were eligible to be Queen, but I'm sure that they know that you helped me escape by now. They will treat you like a fugitive now and it worries me because I can't let anything happen to you." She leaned back and finally looked me in the eyes. I could feel her resentment for the Council through the bond and her face grew serious.

"Rose, I will not leave you. When you left for Siberia, I couldn't handle it and I will not go through that again. You promised me." I began to interject when she raised her hands and continued. "Besides, I need a quorum for anything to happen, whether it is a position on the Council or election to Queen, and that is never going to happen." I knew this was the time to tell her.

"What if there was a possibility for you have to quorum?" She looked at me curiously and shook her head. "Rose, you know that I am the last Dragomir."

I gulped as I stood up to tell her what I had to say next. I hoped she wouldn't freak out, but anything is possible. "Liss, I have reason to believe that you have a sibling. I hate telling you this, but there is some evidence that suggests that your dad had an affair." I paused as I heard Lissa gasp. I turned to see her shocked face and I continued. "The Queen left me a note telling me to find your sibling so that you may succeed. I'm sorry Lissa, I didn't want to have to tell you this, but I promised." A tear escaped her eye and she looked down in thought.

I could feel anger, distress and disbelief radiating powerfully through our bond and I didn't know what to say or do to help her. So, I decided to be quiet until she digested this information, after all, it took me awhile to accept it myself.

I felt her calm down and her jade green eyes looked up at me as she said what I least expected to hear. "I knew it."


	10. Questions

**Thank you to everyone that reads and reviews! I appreciate it so much and it makes my day! Here is Chapter 10, and I know the last few chapters have been slow, but it is necessary to explain and go over a few things. But it's about to heat up, as you will see. ;) XoX Christa**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not VA or the characters, Richelle Mead does.**

I felt happiness, sadness and confusion through the bond but her face looked determined. I didn't know how to approach the subject for her to open her up more about the issue because I assumed the entire time that she didn't know.

"What do you mean you knew Lissa?" She looked at me and sighed as she tilted her head down and began to rub her temple before she looked back up to me with glassy eyes.

"Oh Liss" was all I could say as I leaned forward and embraced her to make her feel like everything was okay. That was when she decided to tell me what she knew.

"A few years before the car accident" she almost choked at the memory, "I heard mom and dad arguing in the kitchen. They usually never argued, especially in front of us, but mom was really mad. Dad saw me and told me to go to my room and that he and mom were having a private discussion, so I started to go upstairs when I saw Andre sitting on the porch. He was very quiet, which as you remember was not normal for him." I nodded. I remembered Andre as everything but quiet. She continued "I asked him what was wrong and he looked at me and told me that dad was having an affair and that we may have had a sibling." She put her head down and looked back up to me with a single tear escaping her eye. She wiped it away and took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't believe him. I just thought that he was mad at dad because mom and dad were arguing, I never really thought it could be true, but deep down inside I guess I always knew it was."

The tears started to run freely down her cheeks and I held her to me again and rubbed her back to calm her down. Through the bond I felt the same feeling that I felt when I left for Siberia. Liss was feeling like she abandoned her brother.

"Liss you did not abandon anyone. How could you abandon someone you didn't know existed?" I was whispering in her ear and she just shrugged her shoulders. I pulled her face up to look at me. "Liss, I will find your brother and he will be a part of our dysfunctional family, I promise. Everything will be okay." I could feel the stress fading in her bond and I was always amazed and thankful for how Lissa always took me at my word. She soon fell asleep from crying, so I tucked her in and closed the door quietly and went downstairs.

All the anger and fear Lissa had always turned into darkness, especially when she used magic like she had been to heal me in the last few days. I have been taking a lot from her lately and it was starting to become unbearable. So, I did the best thing I knew how to get rid of it. I grabbed some clothes from my room and headed towards the gym.

I had the dummies lined up like they were a circle around me and started to fight like my life depended on it. The darkness took hold of my movements after awhile and when I finally couldn't land another blow I sank to the ground. I was breathing hard and was covered in sweat, but it made me feel good to release some of this pent up energy. That's when I heard the door open and I saw Adrian standing in the doorway.

"Hey Adrian" I said as I started pushing what was left of the dummies back up against the wall.

"Little Dhampir, you need Lissa to heal you" he said pointing towards me. I looked down and didn't see anything bleeding or bruised, so I looked back to his face questionably.

He just shook his head and said "It's not your body Rose, it's your aura. It has been growing darker and darker since everything has happened at Court." He paused like he didn't know if he should continue. "I have never seen such a dark aura before Rose."

Having Lissa heal me would only make it worse for her right now, so I just shook my head and he began to scoff. "Adrian, you know that if Lissa heals me, she will just be using even more magic right now and it would only make it worse. Besides, I just told her about her brother and she is asleep. She has enough to deal with right now." I hoped he would take the bait and change the topic and he did.

"How did she take it?"

"Well, she seemed to already have an idea, but she took it well. She just cried herself to sleep and she's questioning every idea she has about her family from before, but I think she will be okay."

He nodded in understanding as I went to the corner and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat of my face. Adrian and I hadn't really talked that much, which I felt bad for, but I thought it would be best considering the circumstances.

We both started walking up to the house and he stopped me before he walked inside, like he was reading my mind.

"Rose, I hope you know that I am okay with everything, with the way everything has turned out." I looked at his face and I could tell that he was sincere, but I still felt guilty.

"I'm sorry about everything Adrian. I really did try to give you a chance but…" He cut me off as he started laughing.

"Rose, I didn't have a chance in hell against Dimitri." I put my head down feeling ashamed but he lifted my chin back up to look at him in the face. "When I see you two together, your auras say everything. There is nothing or anyone that can compete with that Rose." I nodded in understanding, because I knew that there would never be a love like what was between Dimitri and me with anyone else.

He gave me a big hug and we stood there comfortably as only friends for the first time. He then looked down at me and was serious. "I haven't forgotten about your aura Rose. You really should think about having Lissa heal it." He paused and then continued, "Or at least tell Dimitri so he knows what to expect." At that moment someone cleared their throat very loudly and I turned to see Dimitri leaning against the wall about ten feet behind us. How long had he been standing there?

He walked up to Adrian first and asked "Tell me what Adrian?" I shook my head at Adrian and then Dimitri's glare turned to me.

Adrian then said "Rose and you have something to talk about" before he turned around as I gave him the best murdering glare I could.

I then turned my face upwards to look at Dimitri and he was gazing at me curiously. "What do we have to talk about Rose?" I sighed and still couldn't believe that Adrian would rat me out to Dimitri.

I started walking slowly out to the spacious grounds while I stared at the beautiful green grass beneath my feet. Dimitri was right behind me and I knew we both had a lot of things to talk about. I walked towards a beautiful tree with blooming lavender colored flowers that were beginning to fall to the ground and sat underneath it with Dimitri sitting right next to me after a moment of silence.

I looked over to see him staring intently at me and I said the truth out loud. "We have a lot of things to talk about Dimitri." He simply nodded his head in understanding when a somber look came over his face. He leaned back and put both arms behind his head and sighed. "I knew we would have to talk about this sooner or later."

"We don't have to if you don't want…" He cut me off and turned his gaze at me. "No Roza, you deserve to know what happened to me. But just understand it's not that easy for me." I nodded and he continued.

He started speaking slowly, like he was recalling every memory he could. "When I came back, I thought the world had just begun and ended at the same time. I can remember all the horrible things I did to innocent people, but worst of all you. So when I first saw your face it tortured me, because all I could remember was the time I held you captive and then hunting you down to take your life."

"Dimitri, you know I forgave you for everything. You were not yourself, you were a different person. You can't blame yourself for somebody else's actions." He looked up to me with a loving expression and pulled me into his arms and began to stroke my hair when he continued talking.

"I know you did now Roza, but I was in a haze for awhile. I didn't know what to do or where to go or if there was a chance I would ever have any normalcy in my life again. Then I saw you with Adrian and I knew you deserved better than me."

I lifted my head up from his chest to look him in the face to make my point very clear to him. "Dimitri, I will never love anyone the way that I love you. I love Adrian, but not in a way that would make either of us happy in a relationship. I belong with you."

He began to smile, but then it started to fade. "But I saw the marks on your neck and…" I cut him off before he could finish. "Dimitri, I didn't have sex with Adrian. That was so we wouldn't have sex. You are still my one and only." He started to smile and then placed a soft and gentle kiss on my lips. "Thank you" was all he said.

I knew how Dimitri had felt with him coming back because Lissa tried to explain some of it to me. What I didn't understand was why he did a one eighty and changed his mind. He must have noticed that I was turning thoughts over in my mind when he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand and he asked, "What are you thinking about so hard?"

I looked at him and asked "I will never understand fully everything you went through Dimitri, but what made you change your mind? Why did you finally decide that you needed me?"

He started to think for a minute before he answered. "I always have needed you Roza. I know I pushed you away, but I thought it was for your own good. But when I saw the guards take you away and what happened to you while you were in jail, I knew that I would never let you go. I can never let you go." I smiled and this time I kissed him and then laid my head on his chest.

I felt as he began to chuckle and then I turned to look at his face again curiously. Then he said something I didn't expect. "Besides, I could never let you go knowing how much I love you and my family loves you." I looked at him confused. "I started talking to my family again before we left. I was thinking about going back home before you were arrested and babushka really laid into me." I joined him in laughter this time knowing that she was one scary and crazy woman. But I had to ask, "What did she say?"

He looked at me with so much love and intensity it hurt. While stroking my cheek he said, "She told me that I wasn't allowed to come home unless I brought their Roza home with me. That you brought me back to life more than once and have proven your love and it was time for me to stop hiding mine." He started to chuckle. "You did bring me back to life more than once you know. After my charge died I had nothing in my life until you came into it and then you brought me back from being a Strigoi. You are more than I will ever deserve. You are мой ангел." I remembered that he called me that this morning, his angel. I smiled and began to sink my head deeply into his chest while he continued to stroke my hair.

"You know I don't believe in angels Dimitri." He was quiet for a minute before responding. "How can you believe in something that you are, but can't see?" he asked quietly. I didn't know what to say so I just wrapped my arm around his waist and got comfortable.

We were lying quietly underneath the tree and I was so at peace until I heard the tires squealing through the gate. Dimitri and I jumped up at the same time running directly towards the house where a black SUV was headed. My mom and Abe walked out and he was smiling like he expected this.

I reached the SUV as Cole, Mikhail, Pavel and Eddie got out of the SUV. I was in shock because I didn't expect to see any of them until tomorrow, especially Eddie. He came up to me and hugged me, which I instantly returned. "Rose, I am so sorry about our argument before you were arrested. Are you doing okay?"

I laughed. It was always good to see the protective brother side of Eddie. "I'm fine Eddie, what the hell are you doing here?" They all started retrieving large stacks of papers out of the trunk when Eddie jokingly said over his shoulder, "Saving your ass of course. Besides, life at Court is boring without you guys."

We were heading inside when I saw Abe and Pavel talking in hushed tones. I decided to walk up and ask what was going on.

Abe looked at me with concern but it soon smoothed into his regular façade. "Well, some unexpected things came up, but we will deal with them later. Right now, we have a lot of paperwork to go through regarding Eric Dragomir's hidden bank account and mistress." I nodded my head and headed to the dining room where everyone was setting the papers on the dining room table. Either they stole the records or found a very fast copy machine, but I was going with the first option. Cole came up and gave me a big hug. "Hey Rose, you look like you're doing well." I smiled at him and nodded. I was so glad I became friends with him but I never expected him to leave his post to come on with us.

Dimitri and my mother were talking to Mikhail and Pavel and were shaking their heads when I caught on that they were trying to speak in hushed tones to keep something from me. It was driving me insane to know that everyone was still treating me like a child.

I looked at everyone in the room and spoke to them all loudly, "Out with it. I know you are all keeping something from me, so you should just tell me now because you know I will find out later."

It was Eddie to speak first as everyone glared at him. "It's Viktor and Robert. We caught up with them in Las Vegas. Viktor is Strigoi now." I gasped in horror when I realized what he had just said. Why would he do that? I have had a hatred for Viktor since he tried to hurt Lissa, but this? It only made me angrier. But then I started to think. "What about Robert?"

"He wasn't Strigoi, but Viktor is keeping him, like he is a pet or something" Pavel said. "I don't know why one would turn, but not the other." I did. Viktor was keeping Robert around to change him back into a Moroi. But what was he planning? Eddie interrupted my thoughts.

"That's not the worst part though Rose." I looked at him shocked I'm sure. He continued, "Viktor has a large group of Strigoi banded together. Well actually, it's more than seventy by our counts, so more like a small army that keeps growing."

This was a lot of information to take in so I decided to sit down. What was Viktor planning and why did he raise a small army of Strigoi? I had more questions than answers and my head began to hurt while thinking of all the possibilities. Dimitri stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders trying to comfort me.

I felt shock and fear run through the bond as I saw Lissa walk into the room. She had obviously heard everything they had just told me and she looked pale for her usual color. I got up from my chair and pulled her to me and told her "Everything is going to be alright." She was just nodding her head like she was in shock.

Then she said in a small voice as tears fell down her face, "Rose, I dreamed of you again. Only this time it was worse than before."


	11. Curiosity

**Hi everybody! Sorry it has been over a week, but last week was insane. Three finals, my sister had an emergency c-section (don't worry the baby is perfect :o) ) and a few emergencies at work (I work in a hospital, go figure). So, for your wait, I will be posting two chapters tonight! Please RxR as I appreciate each and every one! Thanks again for reading; you guys always make my day! XoX Christa**

After Liss had calmed down I carried her back to her room so she could sleep. The events from the last few days have left her weary and worn out.

I walked out of her room and tried to close the door as quietly as possible only to find Dimitri standing against the wall staring at me intently. Worry was causing his warm brown eyes to seem hazy as he walked towards me to wrap his arms around my waist. I laid my head on his chest and felt safe, even though I knew the whole world and maybe even God himself was against me. His voice broke the silence, "I know there is something you're keeping from me Roza. Please tell me."

He pulled back to look at my face and his face showed what I thought I never would see. He was almost begging me for an answer. He was worried enough that he didn't need to know that the darkness from Lissa was consuming me. I started to pull out of his arms when his grip tightened and his face came down inches from mine. "Roza, please just tell me. I need to know." I wriggled out of his grip and walked towards our room with him following silently behind me. Everything was starting to get to me. The murder of the Queen, being framed, the escape and everything that led up to now. But what weighed the heaviest on my mine was knowing that Victor had an army of Strigoi heading our way and I still didn't know what he wanted.

I opened the door and walked into our room and sat at the edge of the bed and let out a heavy sigh as I put my head in my hands. I was rubbing small circles on my temples when I felt Dimitri come to a stop in front of me. I looked up and he slumped down onto his knees and placed his hands on me legs rubbing back and forth to help soothe me. I lifted my head more to look into those beautiful brown eyes and saw the storm raging in them. He did deserve to know, but I hated having to unload more problems onto Dimitri, especially, when I knew I could handle it. That's when he was almost reading my mind as he said, "Your problems are my problems, please just tell me Roza." I was quiet while I was still debating in my head and he took my face in his softly calloused hands to pull my face to his.

"Please just trust me." Was he going crazy? Of course I trusted him. I just didn't think he needed another burden to worry about. But telling him would make him know I did trust him more than he knew.

"The darkness I have been taking from Lissa has been getting worse and worse since the Queen was murdered." I stood up and began to pace. "I would ask her to heal it, but it would just make it that much worse because then she would feel guilty for how much she has been using. I've been trying to find a way to handle it, but I feel it growing darker. That was what Adrian meant when he told me I needed to tell you something. He said my aura is darker than he has ever seen it." I was still pacing, but when Dimitri hadn't said anything I stopped and looked over to him to find him staring at me with an angry look. "What?"

"You should have told me Roza. I know you have a lot on your mind, but you know that the darkness is dangerous to everyone, most importantly to you! You need to start thinking of yourself before you even begin to take the darkness from her!"

I didn't know what to say. He was literally mad at me because I was helping take the darkness away from Lissa. It is what I am supposed to do. I started to head towards the bathroom door when he stood up and had his hands around me quicker than I could realize. I tried to shove him away but he started to speak again while rubbing my back and speaking in my ear.

"I'm sorry Roza. I just worry so much and I can't help it." He was trying to comfort me now but I was still pissed. I pushed him back hard this time and looked him straight in the eye.

"It is my job to protect her, from everything, even if it means herself! If that means I take the darkness from her, then so be it! She is my responsibility!"

He was holding his hands as if he was surrendering but I smacked them away from me. "You of all people should understand this Dimitri! You know the sacrifices we have to make for them!"

"I know more than anyone of the sacrifices we make for them Roza, but I will be damned if I see you get hurt because of them anymore!" I was in shock. I had never seen Dimitri lose control of his words like this and more importantly, I had never seen Dimitri ever question the duty we had to our charges.

"She is just not any Moroi Dimitri, she is my sister! Maybe not by blood, but she's been there for me as I have been there for her when there was no one else!"

He hung his head low and whispered, "I know". I couldn't believe we were arguing about my protection of Lissa. It was a fact of life, not an option. "I just hate seeing you hurt Roza, and this darkness, I just don't understand it is all."

He reached out for me again and I let him hold me as I wrapped my arms around his waist and put my head on his chest. I breathed in his scent that had the ability to calm me down even from some of my worst moods. "I'm sorry Roza" he kept whispering in my ear. I looked up to his eyes and knew he meant it. I just nodded my head so he knew I was okay now. He then took his hand and lifted my chin up to kiss my lips softly and then he spoke again. "I just wish that you didn't have the world on your shoulders all the time." He kissed me again more passionately than before and I felt my arms wrap around his neck as his tightened around my waist. I then heard a knocking at the door. Before I let Dimitri let go of me I whispered, "I love you." He smiled his breathtaking smile and whispered back "I love you more мой ангел." I don't know why he insisted in calling me his angel, but the loving way those words rolled off his lips made me almost believe them.

Dimitri answered the door with me standing behind him and I could see Mikhail and Cole standing on the other side. "Hey guys" I chimed as I peeked my head around. "Hey Rose" they almost said in unison.

Cole and Mikhail started speaking to Dimitri about how we all needed to start going through all the paperwork downstairs and so we followed them down. I saw Tasha, Adrian, Christian, Pavel, Abe and Eddie already sitting at the table and we joined them quietly. We went over the paperwork for over four hours and the lines I was reading started to haze together. We had only spoken to each other a few times regarding odd withdrawals or deposits made to a particular bank account in Las Vegas but nothing more.

I was tired of us all going over all this paperwork and not finding anything. It seemed that all it did was create more questions than give any answers. I had to take a break so I stood up and said out loud, "I'm going outside for some air." I saw everyone begin to nod their heads as they were tuned into reading the papers that were in front of them, even Dimitri.

I walked outside and the air was warm and humid, but it felt good against my skin in the darkness. With our world mainly being located in the north, we were used to dry heat when summer came. But here, the humidity was a big change, and I welcomed it from the old one. I could smell the orange and gingery scents from the orange groves nearby and I couldn't help my mind to begin to wander. Would life ever be as simple as it had been here? Would there ever be a time when all the people I loved could be under the same roof and relax or would there always be a war to fight? Sure, going over paperwork and hiding out was by no means relaxing, but compared to some of our everyday lives, this was nothing. I sighed heavily trying to figure out anyway to help figure out some answers to anything when I noticed the fog stretching across the front yard. Then the idea hit me and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.

I could summon the ghosts, but more specifically I could summon Tatiana. How could I not have thought of this before? I mentally kicked myself because the solution seemed so easy. If I could see Tatiana, I knew she couldn't give me full blown answers, but she could give me some clues to those answers, and that might be all I needed. I was determined now as I peeked through the dining room window to see everyone still reading intently and I quietly turned and headed for the back wall of the property.

After I jumped the back wall, I knew I didn't have long before one of the cameras spotted me and my mom at least would find me, but I had to try. I hated having to summon the ghosts because it physically hurt and drained me mentally, but it was the only thing I knew to do. We've almost exhausted any other possibilities, maybe this could work. For once, maybe something could go right.

I let down my mental blocks and allowed my mind to freely feel everything and the headache came pounding with it. I opened my eyes to see the grey and white figures swirling in all directions around me but I had to focus.

"Tatiana!" The figures didn't swirl as fast and I saw some reaching out towards me, but I screamed louder. "Queen Tatiana, please! I need to speak to you."

The headache made me drop to my knees and I held my head in my hands but when I looked back up and focused my eyes, there she was. She looked similar to what Mason had, solemn and depressed. I knew I had to limit my questions to yes or no, but trying to focus through the headache was hard.

"Tatiana, did Victor kill you?" I asked. She shook her head no. If Victor didn't kill her, then who the hell did? "Who killed you?" I screamed. She just shrugged her shoulders. "Did a guardian kill you?" She shook her head. That only left one possibility. "A Moroi killed you?" She nodded her head in acknowledgement. That narrowed the list of possibilities, but in the same instance it created a whole new list of others. Then I started to think of Lissa.

"Do you remember the note you wrote me?" She nodded her head. "Where is Lissa's brother?" She shrugged her shoulders again. She really knew how to piss me off, even when she was dead.

"Is he in Las Vegas?" I asked. She shook her head no again. I couldn't think of what else to ask her without her having to speak, but then an idea came to mind. "Do I know him?" She nodded her head this time. I knew him! But who could he be?

I looked back up from though and saw her trying to mouth something. I squinted my eyes trying to read her lips and it looked like she was mouthing, "Run". I looked around and then the nausea hit me and I knew it was too late. I put my mental blocks back up so I could focus and saw Tatiana begin to fade away and I scanned the trees surrounding me to get an idea of what I was in for.

I was looking around frantically as I saw the Strigoi walk towards me and form a circle. I started to rise slowly from the ground as I was mentally trying to figure out what I was going to do next. There were five of them, two males and three females, and their red eyes reminded me that they were every bit as evil as I remembered. The stake attached to my leg was burning for me to grab it, but I had to remain calm and come up with a plan if I was going to make it out alive from this one. I knew going outside the wards was risky, but I thought that the nausea would have warned me of intruders early enough for me to counteract, but the failure of that brilliant thought was surrounding me now.

"Rose Hathaway. Victor will be pleased" the blonde male spoke first. Great! That meant Viktor was now sending hunting parties out for me. But I still had to know why.

"Why does Victor want me? He knows I will only kill him" I growled. The blonde began to laugh cynically. "He wants you dead just as bad but not before the revolution begins. You will be a martyr for your cause but a beginning to ours."

I must have shot him a confused look as I tried to make out the details he was suggesting in my mind. What did he mean revolution? Of course I knew Victor wanted a major shift in power in our world, but what did any of that have to do with Strigoi?

"I will never be a martyr, you'd actually have to kill me first" I warned him knowing I was heavily outnumbered. He just smiled and shook his head as if he couldn't expect a better answer.

"When the other guardians learn of your innocence and how the Moroi framed and mistreated you, the best of all the guardians, you don't think it will cause a bigger separation between the Moroi and dhampirs? While the guardians and the Moroi are squabbling over rights it will be the perfect opening for us. Many will die." He was laughing at the thought of the death of innocent people.

"For that to happen, you will have to kill me first!" I shouted. As soon as the last word was off my lips he was quickly at my side speaking in my ear.

"I can't kill you Rose, Victor would be displeased." He started walking in front of me with his head down in thought before he stopped right in front of me with an evil grin spreading across his face. "But that doesn't mean I can't have the Princess."

Something in me snapped at that moment. He would not touch Lissa, or anyone else for that matter! They are my life, they are my family! All I have in the world and I would be damned before a finger touched any of them! The darkness I had been feeling was starting to bubble over as I began to lose my control. The Strigoi that was speaking must have sensed the change because he took a step back as he was examining me. I heard someone begin to scream "Roza" but I don't remember everything that happened after that just that it happened all at once.

I grabbed my stake with my right hand as two of the Strigoi took a step towards me, but it was almost as if I was faster than them. I spun around with the stake pointing outwards at an angle and caught a few of their faces and arms as they were trying to block. I felt one grasp around my legs to bring me down, but I pushed hard off the ground and flipped us back over staking him in the heart. "Rose!" "Roza" I heard screaming and crying from people somewhere in the distance. I then felt a burning sensation from my shoulder and quickly slammed my head backwards into the Strigoi's face behind me, distracting her long enough to leap from the ground and drive my stake through her chest. They were trying to fight together, but it seemed like they couldn't coordinate what angle to come from. I saw the two remaining females charge towards me and I quickly spun the stake across one's chest as the other grabbed my arm and pulled hard. I heard a vicious angry growl and realized it was mine. I dropped down and kicked her legs out from under her and as she fell I rolled quickly on top of her and drove the stake through her chest to her cold heart. I then felt arms wrap around me and throw me forcefully through the air. "Rose! No!" the screaming in the distance continued. I landed hard on the ground but jumped up just as fast ready to take the remaining two on. In the distance I could see the remaining male running away fast, leaving the female charging at me with her teeth barred, but I took her down easy enough. I felt a venomous rage, hatred, anger and even insanity ripping through my body and I couldn't stop myself. I plunged the stake through her heart and saw the life vanish from her eyes but I continued to stab her with the stake as I straddled her body that was now lying lifelessly on the ground. I heard screaming and realized it was mine but the darkness made me feel like a savage needing to eliminate any existence this creature ever had at life. I was stabbing, harder and more brutal each time when I felt someone's arms wrap around my body.

I twisted around still screaming to see familiar brown eyes that were filled with fear and despair and I knew I should recognize his scent, but I had to continue my task. I had to kill everything in sight that was bringing the danger closer to my family, to me.

"Roza! Please! It's me, calm down" he was pleading. I knew his voice. It was angelic and heartbroken at the same time but I couldn't focus. The darkness was still swimming throughout my soul and recognition of anything was not coming easy. "Let me go! My family is not safe! I have to kill them!"

I sensed others in my presence and was looking around frantically like a wild animal as I heard voices speaking hurriedly all around me.

"Look at her eyes. They're black!" Who were they talking about? I was still fighting to get out of the arms of the man who was holding me as I was screaming.

"Let me go or I will end you" I growled.

"It's not Rose, something's wrong with her, Adrian help me please!" I heard a woman's voice. Then I saw hands coming around me and I screamed even louder as I tried to break free, but others were helping the man hold me down. I saw a bright light that seemed so peaceful and innocent surround me, but as soon as it came I fell into the pitch black of nothingness. 


	12. Surprise

**Hi Everybody! Okay, long story short, I have been debating how to move forward with my story, but I decided that this is how I wanted it to happen, so here it is and sorry for the wait. A very LONG chapter, just for you! Please review, I absolutely adore them, and take everyone's advice into deep consideration before continuing on, and I appreciate every single one. XOX -Christa**

I felt my chest rising and falling slowly as I breathed in ragged breaths. I was still in darkness and I didn't want to open my eyes as I tried to remember what had happened. The last thing I remember was the Strigoi threatening Lissa. Lissa! I shot up in bed and immediately went to find her when I felt arms wrap around me and pull me back into bed.

"Let me go! They want Lissa!" I screamed. Didn't they know we had to protect her?

"Rose, it's okay. I'm right here." I turned my head to the right to see Lissa sitting on the foot of the chaise staring at me. The relief must have showed on my face as I relaxed immediately and she ran over and threw her arms around my neck.

I put my arms tightly around her and sighed. "He said he was going after you" my voice pitched at the thought. "Thank God you're alright."

Lissa silently chuckled as she pulled back to look me in the face. "No. Not thank God, thank you. I knew you would always protect me but I have never seen you fight so…" She stopped speaking and then I felt anger tingling through the bond.

She stood up and stomped her foot like a child when she yelled, "How long have you been hiding the darkness from me Rose?"

I didn't know what to say so I shrugged my shoulders. "Rose, you know how dangerous it is when you hold in all the darkness in. You promised you would tell me everything and you didn't! You kept a secret from me again!" I could feel her disappointment and I saw Christian walk to her side and rub her shoulders soothingly.

I knew she was very angry but I could also feel that she was slightly jealous because Adrian and Dimitri knew and she didn't. I stared into her eyes, trying to think of the right words to say to her to make sure she knew she could trust me. But the words I have followed all my life were the first thought that flashed through my mind. _They come first._

"Lissa, I didn't tell you because you have enough to handle right now and I thought it was for the best." She stopped pacing and looked directly into my eyes and I could feel her anger rising.

"That's bullshit Rose!" she nearly screamed. Lissa hardly ever cussed, but at this moment I knew she was more than angry. I thought I did what was best to protect her, but apparently she didn't agree.

"Lissa, please just…" she cut me off by stomping directly in front of me and pointing her thin finger at my chest.

"From now on Rose we are equals! I am not Moroi and you are not a guardian, at least not to each other! You are my best friend, my sister, and I will not have you in danger and keeping secrets from me just to make my life better!" Her eyes were sincere and her voice was slowly starting to return to normal.

I grabbed the hand she had pointed at my chest and rose up from the bed to stand in front of her. "Lissa, as much as I would like for something like that to be true, the fact is, it will never happen. I am here to protect you." Guilt and sadness started to roll over her when the truth of my words started to sink in. "Besides Liss, I was built to fight." I paused not knowing how to make it clearer to her. "It's who I am." She started to nod her head as she walked backwards and sank back down onto the chaise. Before I let go of her hand she gripped tighter, "Things will change for you Rose. It won't always have to be this way." I felt excitement through the bond, but decided to let it go for now.

I put my head down and was thinking about what Lissa had said. It was nice of her to want that change for us, but the sad reality remained that she will always come first. She is my charge and it is my duty to protect her at all costs, even from darkness's side effects. I looked up and Lissa was still staring at me pleading with her eyes.

"Please Rose. Just promise me no more secrets." I nodded my head and she let out a sigh as she stood up to wrap me up in a hug again. It was then that I looked around and noticed everyone was in my room, and I mean everyone.

I found Dimitri's eyes and they looked troubled, but I couldn't help but ask him what exactly had happened, because I knew he would tell me the truth.

"Dimitri, what happened out there?" I asked while breaking the hug between Lissa and I and walking towards him.

"The darkness took hold of you and Lissa and Adrian had to compel you to sleep for you to even calm down. You fought off four Strigoi by yourself, but the fifth one got away." His eyes suddenly turned angry and I couldn't help but feel frustrated that everyone was mad at me. "Of course he most likely wouldn't have gotten away, you wouldn't have been in danger and you wouldn't have been consumed by darkness if someone had known that you were leaving the wards, by yourself" he said sternly.

Yep, he was pissed. "Dimitri, we will talk about this later, but I left the wards for a reason." I looked down at my hands trying to recollect my thoughts when Dimitri stood up and his angry voice pulled me from my thoughts. "What possible reason could there be for you to risk your life so recklessly Roza?" He was glaring at me for a response, so I stood up and decided to tell everyone the truth. "I left the wards to see Tatiana." Dimitri stiffened when I mentioned talking to ghosts. I remembered he was never too fond of that idea.

Adrian broke the silence, "You spoke to her? Did she say anything?" He looked hopeful, but I explained that ghosts don't really talk. They more or less just nod or shake their heads and it is really annoying. "What did she say?" I glanced to his side to see Tasha standing supportively by his side. I would have to make a mental note to ask about that later.

"Well, I didn't get much time to speak to her, but she said that Lissa's brother is a Dhampir and that it was a Moroi that killed her. More importantly, it wasn't Victor that killed her."

Everyone gasped at the information that still had my head spinning. There were so many possibilities. Maybe the Moroi had been under compulsion or had a vendetta against Tatiana. There were so many things to consider when Adrian's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"If it was a Moroi that means that it was someone who is most likely still at Court. I knew a lot of people wanted her out of power, but I never thought anyone would go to these extremes." His face looked sullen when he spoke of his dead aunt. Even though I didn't particularly care for her very much, I felt bad knowing he was hurting. Then an idea popped into my head like a light bulb going off.

"What if Victor is working together with this Moroi?" Everyone looked at me confused, so I tried to clarify. "Every time Victor has spoken to us in terms of taking over our world, it's always 'us' or 'we' he is talking about. What if a Moroi on the inside is working with him?"

I looked at Abe and a grin came across his face. I couldn't help but ask, "What?" He started shaking his head and chuckled, "I knew you were my daughter. Your theory makes perfect sense." I tried to raise one eyebrow, but I still sucked at it, so both went up in curiosity.

"If it is a Royal Moroi on the Council who is working with Victor, then that person has persuasion and a vote against you and can sway the vote. This person is most likely also strong in compulsion to get to you in your jail cell." I winced at the memory and I saw Dimitri flinch as well.

I started thinking of all the possibilities but I blurted out my conclusion before I knew it, "But it's still only a theory. We have no proof, or even evidence, to support it." I sank back down on the bed and put my head in my hands, while rubbing circles on my temples.

"We have to leave." It was my mother who broke the comfortable silence.

Dimitri was the first to answer her, "I know Janine, but there is no way to move us all quickly without being undetected." I turned to see him pacing slowly on the other side of the bed with his face scrunched up in thought. "Besides, we have to think of a place the Court Guardians will not be looking."

Abe started to chuckle in a way that made me question his sanity, not that I didn't question it before. "We are going to Baia."

Dimitri froze on the spot and I saw one of his breathtaking smiles light his face when he answered, "It's perfect. They will never look there." He stopped in thought again, "But how to get us all there undetected is the question."

Abe walked up to me with his usual grin and kissed my forehead and then headed for the door. He stopped right in front of Dimitri and patted his shoulder, "There is always a way." He turned back to me and winked. I had to smile at his smugness. Only my father, the criminal, would know a way to sneak a large group of wanted criminals in and out of the country undetected. My mother and Pavel followed him out, leaving the rest of my small dysfunctional family staring at me.

I couldn't take all the stares anymore as I practically shouted, "What!"

Lissa jumped up from the chaise and the excitement through the bond was almost enough to push me over. She threw her arms around me and squeezed tightly as I saw Adrian in my peripheral vision come up and do the same. What had I missed?

That's when the question that took me completely off guard formed in Lissa's mind. _When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me!_

I pulled back to look at both of them because I had no idea what they were talking about. "What Lissa?"

She stopped and I could see her smile fade. "You don't know?" I shook my head and tried to think of what she could be referring to.

Adrian looked at me and then over to Dimitri. He stood in thought when he shook his head and looked back to Lissa, "Cousin, we shouldn't say anything right now."

Dimitri was behind me in an instant, and when I saw his face I could tell he was still angry about everything but just as curious as I was.

I looked at Lissa who turned me around and pushed on my shoulders to sit me down on the chaise. She took my hands in hers as she sat down on her knees and began to speak. "When we were healing you, we saw it in your aura." Adrian sat on the edge of the bed staring at me, with a sort of joy and sadness mixing his facial expressions.

"I know Liss. My aura was dark and black like you said." She shook her head. "There was more." She paused and looked back to Dimitri and then back to me.

"I don't know how Rose, but you're pregnant." I froze.

I must have sat there frozen for awhile when Lissa started squeezing my hands tighter. I started to shake my head, there was no way they saw right. "You're wrong. You know it's not possible between two dhampirs." I looked over to see Dimitri standing as still as a statue, staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

Lissa's voice pulled my look back to her. "I'm not wrong, I know what I saw. I've seen it with other pregnant women before." This is impossible.

I stood up and looked down at her and then over to Adrian. "You both are wrong." I was shaking my head, and I didn't know if it was more to convince them or myself. I started to pace the area in front of the bed with thoughts running a million miles an hour through my mind.

Adrian broke the silence first, "It's true Rose. I saw his aura in yours, you're pregnant." I stopped and looked at him, only to see Dimitri's face snap over and look at Adrian.

"His aura?" I asked. Adrian smiled his lazy grin. "Yes, little Dhampir, his aura. From my experience with auras, it swirls with blues and greens when the child is a boy and pinks and yellows when it is a girl." His grin now spread to a smile and I could hear Lissa shriek with excitement. "I'm going to have a nephew!"

I looked down to my stomach and instinctively put my hands over where this child should be. I couldn't wrap my head around how any of this was possible, and more, how I didn't know before Adrian and Lissa. I looked to Dimitri and he was still standing frozen, looking at my stomach now.

I took a step towards him and he took a step back with his eyes still fixated on my stomach. "Dimitri?"

He brought his eyes up to mine and broke my heart the moment he opened his mouth, "Is it mine?"

I took a step backward and started breathing heavily. How dare he ask me that? I went to the end of hell and back to save his soul because of my love for him and he really thought this little of me? I stood frozen for a few moments feeling like I was going to throw up or pass out and then I felt a tear streaking down my neck. I didn't even know I was crying when I reached up to wipe the treacherous tears from my face. I glared back up at Dimitri and I could see the guilt of what he had said across his face as he took a step towards me, which caused me to take a step back. I took another step backwards and realized that I could barely breathe as my arms wrapped around my chest, as if to keep the broken pieces from falling out.

"Leave now!" I heard someone yelling. I looked up to see Mikhail with a dangerous look on his face as he walked and stood protectively in front of me.

Dimitri looked at Mikhail and started to say, "I didn't mean…" when Mikhail cut him off. "I was there and saw what she went through to get you back, and this is how you thank a miracle?" I still could barely breathe and I didn't understand Mikhail's sudden protectiveness. Then I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and looked up to see Cole glaring at Dimitri just as protectively.

Lissa walked up to my other side with Christian standing behind her and the danger in her voice even scared me. "Dimitri, you need to leave this room now."

"I will not leave Roza! I didn't mean for it to sound like that." He was clearly flustered, but at the moment, I didn't give a damn. I was livid.

"You didn't mean it like that!" I shouted as a statement more than a question. "Why didn't you just ask me who else I had sex with to make you feel better then?" I was trying to breathe, but it felt like no air would fill my lungs. It must have sounded like I was drowning as Cole reached down and picked me up.

He started to walk forward, but Dimitri was blocking our way. "Roza, please talk to me. I'm sorry." How could I talk to him? He just told me he had no faith in my love for him.

Cole sighed and walked me to my bed and tucked me in, then turned his gaze to Dimitri. Lissa and Tasha were at my side immediately. Tasha was rubbing my back telling me to breath, while I felt Lissa trying frantically to work spirit to help me. I turned my head to see Mikhail, Cole, Eddie, Christian and Adrian all standing protectively at the end of the bed. If they could all believe the truth, why couldn't the one person who meant the most? I started to cry harder.

Cole sounded furious, "Dimitri, you need to leave now and let her rest."

Dimitri was shaking his head, "This is a misunderstanding, I didn't mean to…"

It was Christian who interrupted Dimitri this time. "How dare you! That is my sister carrying my nephew, and now she feels abandoned!" I saw the flames in his hands, which frightened me. His words meant more to me then he would ever know, but I still couldn't let him hurt Dimitri. "No Christian" I said.

He looked back at me and then to Dimitri and began to shake his head. I looked at Dimitri's face and I could see the tears begin to form. "I'm sorry Roza. I'll be back in a little while and we can talk about this." He turned and headed for the door, looking back at me before he walked out. I don't know if I passed out from not being able to breath, or if I was mentally exhausted, but I slipped into the darkness.

I woke up to and saw Lissa sleeping on my left and looked over to see Tasha on my right. I closed my eyes and began to replay everything that had just happened. How could he think I was carrying someone else's child? I sighed loudly and decided I needed to go outside for some fresh air.

I very slowly wriggled out from between Lissa and Tasha, but as soon as my feet touched the ground, I saw I had to also get around Christian, Eddie, Cole and Adrian, who were sleeping on the floor. I stealthily inched my way around them and made my way to the door, opening it very slowly and slipping out. I shut the door gently and turned to see Mikhail standing outside the door staring at me.

"Sneaking out?" he whispered. I shook my head, "No, I just need to get some air." He smiled and nodded his head to follow him. We went down the stairs and through the back door by the kitchen to the back porch. I took in a large breath and the warm air filled my lungs and I could smell the citrusy scent from the nearby orange groves.

I sat in one of the porch chairs and Mikhail sat next to me. I looked at him curiously. Mikhail and I had become close, but I couldn't understand the protectiveness he showed upstairs. He looked at me and let out a loud sigh. "You're wondering why I was so protective." He must have read my mind, so I just nodded.

He sat forward with his elbows on his knees and looked back to me. "Rose, you know I understand all too well…" he started to say before letting out another sigh. "I understand what it is to lose someone to being a Strigoi." I nodded remembering that he and Ms. Karp were together before she turned Strigoi. He showed a little smile, "I will never know what it is like to hold her in my arms again, but I would give anything." I remembered that feeling, but I still didn't understand why this would make him so protective. "What you don't know, is that we found out she was with child before she was turned."

I gasped in shock, knowing that it must have made it ten times harder on him when she became Strigoi to know that she was pregnant. He continued to speak, "I wanted to be with her, to have our family, but she couldn't handle the spirit." He was very quiet for a moment, but then he looked at me with a very serious expression. "To see what you went through to get him back and have everything that I would kill for, to turn around and have him question you…" He stopped speaking and shook his head. "It hit a very raw nerve." I nodded in understanding. Dimitri hit more than a raw nerve with me. I felt so bad for Mikhail, to feel as if he had everything in the world, only to turn around and have it all taken away from him. I knew that feeling. I couldn't help but lean forward and give him a hug. He needed to know that someone was there for him, even when he didn't think so. He seemed shocked at first, but then relaxed and hugged me back.

We sat like that for a few minutes in comfortable silence, realizing that both of us knew exactly how the other felt. I heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see Dimitri standing on the outside of the screen door, staring at us. Mikhail jumped up and stood in front of me protectively, and I began to stand slowly staring over Mikhail's shoulder at him.

"Mikhail, I understand that you might hate me right now, but what you need to know, is that I was just in shock."

"I know you were in shock Dimitri, but did you really think she would go through the impossible of bringing you back, just to have someone else's child?"

I could see that they were not going to be able to see eye to eye for awhile, so I put my hand on Mikhail's shoulder. "Mikhail, can I talk to him for a minute please?" He looked down at me and then over to Dimitri. "If you need me, I will be in the kitchen." I watched him walk back inside, shutting the door quietly, and then I turned my gaze back to Dimitri.

I kept my eyes on him as I went back to the porch chair and sat down. He opened the door to come inside, immediately grabbing the chair next to mine to turn it, so it was facing me. He sat down, still staring at me, and I saw those tears from earlier begin to reform.

"I am so sorry Roza. I was in shock and I didn't think everything through before speaking." He reached forward to grab my hand, which I jerked back and set protectively on my stomach. I saw a tear fall from his eye when he dropped his head into his hands, which broke my heart a little more, but not as much as him saying what he did. "You are the only man I have ever been with Dimitri. I don't know how he came to be, but he is your son, our miracle."

We were quiet for a moment when he looked back up at me and caught me off guard when he began to whisper, "You forgive me for my past, my present and everything in our future, remember? As long as we do everything together." He reached forward slowly, and placed his hand over mine on my stomach and looked at me with his tear struck brown eyes. "I love you more than anything in this world, or the next, and I will love you forever. Now, you and our son are my reason for existing." I smiled. He called him our son.

He was still staring at my stomach, at our unborn child, as I placed my hand on his cheek. He placed his other hand on the back of mine, holding it to his face, and brought his eyes up to mine. "I forgive you Dimitri, but don't ever doubt the love I have for you again." Both of his hands found my face and he quickly pulled me in for a kiss. It was soft and sweet, with his lips barely touching mine, but soon he had one hand around the back of my neck and mine around his and the kiss turned into one of pure happiness and bliss. I pulled back to breath and he was smiling one of his rare full smiles as he bent down and began to kiss my stomach tenderly.

I got up and sat in between his legs, leaning my back against his chest with my head nuzzled in his neck, and we talked quietly as we watched the sunrise. He caught me off guard when he said, "I can't wait until we tell my family" as he trailed slow kisses down my neck. I was excited to tell his family too, but telling my mother and father would be a whole different story. He felt my body stiffen, betraying my thoughts, and asked, "What's wrong?" I smiled as I stood up and turned to offer him a hand to stand as well, "I'm excited to tell your family too, but we have to figure out a way to tell my mother and Abe." He started laughing heartily and then must have realized the impact of exactly what I said as he quieted down. "I have no problem telling your father, but your mother is most likely going to be a problem." This made me laugh.

I heard the back door shut and turned to see Lissa standing there feeling frantic through the bond. She looked at me and then to Dimitri and then back to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah Liss, I'm fine." I looked up to Dimitri, "Great, actually."

She smiled but then stomped up to Dimitri and shoved a finger into his chest. "If you ever hurt her again, I will personally make your life a living hell. Christian's fire is nothing compared to what I will do to you. Understood?"

Dimitri quickly nodded his head and said, "Yes Prin-…" Her eyebrows shot up and then he finished speaking. "Yes, Lissa, I would expect nothing less."

"Good." She looked at me and smiled and I could feel her smugness through the bond. I must be rubbing off on her, because when she wanted to sound scary, she sure as hell did. "Well, it's time for breakfast and then we're going to go to the grocery store and your mother wants to get supplies for our trip to Baia."

Only Lissa could be this excited about going grocery shopping, but I was not letting her out of my sight after the Strigoi showed up at our front door. "Either you are letting me off house arrest and I am going with you, or you are staying here with me." I crossed my arms over my chest and put on my most serious guardian face and she began to giggle.

"I already knew you would say that, so here." She handed me a ring saying, "It's charmed so you can go with us." She gave me a tight hug and then gave Dimitri another look before she went back inside the house.

"Roza, I don't know if you should be going into town with us. It's too dangerous." There he goes again with his over protectiveness. "Dimitri, I am not letting her out of my sight, and besides, I'm only one week along. I'm not dead." He sighed but dropped his head in resignation. "Fine, but please, for once, be careful and listen to what your mother and I say." I began to argue, but decided I was happy just to get out of the house for a little while, so I just nodded.

One thing is for sure though. This was going to be an interesting shopping trip.

**I hope you guys enjoyed it. No, this is not going to turn into another 'Rose is pregnant and therefore useless in fighting' stories, you'll see. I have special plans. Some might think I am moving too fast, but it's for a reason, unless everyone wanted this to be a 100+ chapters, which with as long as my chapters are, would make this story go on forever. Love you guys, and please, please, please hit that little review button below. I would appreciate it greatly!**


End file.
